Compress GIF for Discord
Discord refuses any file above your upload limit, and since 2024 that limit is 10 MB on a free account. This page squeezes a GIF under it and keeps the animation looping in the chat.
Video Converter
or drop MP4, MOV, MKV … files here ·
Max 95 MB per file· Up to 20 files· Deleted after 30 minutes
Files are processed on our servers and deleted after 30 minutes.
Lower is better quality and a bigger file. 18 looks identical to the source, 23 is the default, 28 and above shows visible softening.
Frames per second. Keep the source rate unless a platform asks for a specific one; 15–20 fps is plenty for GIFs.
Only used for PowerPoint files and single still images: how long each slide or picture stays on screen.
Auto uses AAC for MP4/MOV and Opus for WebM. Copy keeps the original sound untouched when the new format supports it.
192 kbps is transparent for music; 128 kbps is enough for speech.
Width of the animation in pixels; height follows the aspect ratio. 480 px suits chats, 720 px or more gives a high-quality GIF but a much larger file.
GIF holds at most 256 colors. Fewer colors make a smaller file but cause banding on gradients and skin tones.
Mixes palette colors in a fine pattern to hide banding. Sierra gives the smoothest result; none gives the smallest file.
Whether the animation repeats endlessly or plays one time and stops.
Optional. Seconds (e.g. 75) or minutes:seconds (1:15). Leave empty to start at the beginning.
Optional. Same format as the start time. Leave empty to keep everything up to the end.
The converted file will be at or just under this size.
How to use this tool
- 1
Drop in the GIF
Upload one GIF or up to 20 at once, each up to 95 MB. A short MP4 or WebM clip works too and comes out as a GIF.
- 2
Set your Discord limit
Limit file size is on with Maximum size at 10 MB. Change it to 50 if you have Nitro Basic or the server is at boost level 2.
- 3
Convert and post
Press Convert to GIF, download the result and drag it into the Discord message box.
Why your GIF is too big for Discord
GIF dates from CompuServe in 1987 and stores every frame as a full or partial indexed image with LZW compression, the same scheme used for still graphics. There is no motion prediction between frames, so file size grows with width × height × number of frames. A 10-second capture at 30 fps and 800 px wide easily passes 30 MB, while the same moment as an MP4 might be 2 MB.
Discord lowered the free upload limit from 25 MB to 10 MB in 2024, and the limit applies to GIFs like any other file. When an attachment is over the line, Discord blocks it before sending; it does not offer to compress it.
Discord GIF size limit on free, Nitro and boosted servers
- free account upload limit
- 10 MB
- Nitro Basic or boost level 2
- 50 MB
- full Nitro
- 500 MB
- custom emoji file
- 256 KB
GIF
Graphics Interchange Format
GIF was introduced by CompuServe in 1987 and is still the most widely supported format for short, looping animations. It is lossless but limited to a palette of 256 colours per frame, so photos and gradients show banding and dithering. It supports only on/off (1-bit) transparency, which leaves jagged edges on curved shapes. Animated GIFs are often far larger than the same clip as MP4 or WebP. Every browser, chat app and social platform plays GIFs.
- Compression
- Lossless
- Transparency
- Yes
- Animation
- Yes
- Introduced
- 1987 · CompuServe
GIF
Graphics Interchange Format
GIF was introduced by CompuServe in 1987 and is still the most widely supported format for short, looping animations. It is lossless but limited to a palette of 256 colours per frame, so photos and gradients show banding and dithering. It supports only on/off (1-bit) transparency, which leaves jagged edges on curved shapes. Animated GIFs are often far larger than the same clip as MP4 or WebP. Every browser, chat app and social platform plays GIFs.
- Compression
- Lossless
- Transparency
- Yes
- Animation
- Yes
- Introduced
- 1987 · CompuServe
A GIF is compressed for Discord because the upload limit is the only gate: a 30 MB screen-capture loop is blocked at 10 MB, while the same animation at a narrower width and lower frame rate posts and autoplays.
How to make a GIF smaller for Discord without ruining it
MythDiscord compresses large GIFs automatically.
FactFiles over your limit are refused before upload; the size has to be fixed on your side.
MythCutting colors is the main way to save space.
FactWidth and frame count decide most of the size. Colors and dithering fine-tune the last few megabytes.
MythA GIF and an MP4 behave the same in a message.
FactA GIF loops on its own; a video waits for a click on its play button.
With Limit file size on, the converter works backwards from your Maximum size: it narrows the frame and trims the palette step by step until the GIF fits. To keep more control, open Advanced settings, set Width to 480 px yourself and choose Dithering None for flat cartoon colors or Sierra for gradients and faces.
A Discord emoji is a different job with a 256 KB ceiling and a tiny square frame; compress GIF to 256 KB is set up for it. For clips you send often, the Discord and email compression guide compares GIF, MP4 and WebM side by side.
Compressing GIFs for Discord: questions
What is Discord's file size limit for GIFs?
The same as for any attachment: 10 MB on a free account, 50 MB with Nitro Basic and 500 MB with full Nitro. Servers at boost level 2 raise the limit to 50 MB for every member, and level 3 to 100 MB.
Why does Discord say my files are too powerful?
That is Discord's message for an attachment above your upload limit. Nothing is trimmed or shrunk on Discord's side, so run the GIF through this page with Maximum size set to your limit and send the new file.
How do I make a GIF smaller for Discord without it looking bad?
Reduce width first and colors last. A 480 px wide GIF has about a quarter of the pixels of a 960 px one, which saves far more than dropping to 64 colors, and it still fills the chat preview. Lowering Frame rate to 15 fps is the next most effective step.
Can I use a compressed GIF as an animated Discord avatar?
Yes, if you have Nitro, which animated avatars require. Avatars are cropped to a circle and shown small, so size the GIF square first with the Discord PFP GIF tool and keep it short.
Should I send an MP4 to Discord instead of a GIF?
An MP4 of the same clip is usually many times smaller, so it fits the free limit with room to spare. The catch is behavior: Discord shows a video with a play button, while a GIF loops by itself in the message, which is what reaction clips and memes need.