WhatsApp is known to use aggressive compression algorithms to reduce the size of shared media (photos, video) to save bandwidth. The outcome may not impact users in day-to-day use, but in some specific scenarios, the original quality of the image or video is often desired.
In this article, we’ll explore how to send photos and videos in their original quality without compression on WhatsApp from iPhone and Android.
Send high-quality photos, videos on WhatsApp without compression
If you want to bypass WhatsApp’s aggressive compression and send media (photos, video, audio) in full resolution, the official workaround is to send the media files as Document. When you send any photo, video, or audio as a Document on WhatsApp, it retains the actual size and bypasses WhatsApp’s compression.
The below sections will guide you to send photos, videos on WhatsApp as Documents on iPhone and Android.
Send a photo or video as a Document from an Android device
To send a photo or video as a Document on WhatsApp from an Android device, do the following:
- Open WhatsApp, and go to the chat where you want to share the photo or video.
- Tap on the paper clip icon from the bottom-right corner, and choose the Document option.
- Browse and select the media file that you want to share. If you don’t see it in the list, tap on “Browse other docs…”, and select the media from the desired location.
- Finally, hit Send.
The photo or video will be shared in their original quality to the selected contact.
Send a photo or video as a Document from iPhone
The process to send a photo or video as a Document on WhatsApp from iPhone is pretty similar to that from an Android device. To do so, the media that you want to share should be located in the Files app instead of the Photos library.
- If the video is in your Photos library, go to the Photos app, select the video, tap on Share from the bottom-left corner, and choose the Save to Files option.
- Open WhatsApp on iPhone and select the chat where you want to share the large video.
- Tap on the “+” button from the bottom-left corner and choose Document. You’ll be taken to the Files view, where you can browse and select the specific video that you saved earlier.
- Tap on Send from the top-right corner to share the video.
The selected photo or video will be sent to the desired contact as a Document in its original quality.
How to send better quality photos on WhatsApp
WhatsApp has rolled out a new update that now gives users the option to choose between more compression (Data saver) or more quality (Best quality) while uploading photos.
The “Data saver” mode still uses WhatsApp’s older compression technique that noticeably reduces photo quality while sending. On the other hand, the “Best quality” mode uses a newer, less aggressive compression technique that retains most of the original quality of the image.
While the Document type still provides the best option to share photos, videos without any quality loss, the new “Best quality” option provides a decent alternative for quickly sharing photos without compromising much on the quality.
To enable the Best quality mode for sharing photos on WhatsApp do the following:
- Open WhatsApp Settings (Android: Tap on the three dots in the top-right corner from the Chats screen; iOS: Tap on the Settings tab from the bottom of the screen).
- Go to Storage and Data.
- On Android, tap on the “Photo upload quality” under the “Media upload quality” section. On iOS, simply tap on Media Upload Quality.
- Choose Best quality for Photos.
- Tap on OK to confirm, if you’re on Android.
From now on, whenever you send a photo on WhatsApp, the recipient(s) will receive a better quality image that is closer to the original in quality.
Thus, you can send actual size photos or video on WhatsApp without compressing them, or use the “Best quality” setting to send better quality photos from iPhone and Android.
Does sending photos and videos on WhatsApp reduce quality?
If you send photos and videos normally through WhatsApp, by choosing the “Photo & Video Library” option while choosing an attachment type, the app will compress them to optimize size and bandwidth.
How can I send WhatsApp images without losing quality?
You can send full resolution images without losing quality by sending them as documents instead of photos. When you want to share an image in a WhatsApp chat, choose the “Document” option instead of the usual “Photo & Video Library” option. You can learn more about the process by reading this article.
How can I send more than 30 photos on WhatsApp?
Normally, when you share photos and videos on WhatsApp, you cannot share more than 30 photos at once. However, you can share more than 30 photos in full resolution, by compressing them together in a ZIP file, and then sending it as a “Document”.
How do I send a high quality video on WhatsApp?
To send an uncompressed video on WhatsApp, tap on the plus icon on a particular chat and select “Document” (instead of “Photo & Video Library”) and proceed with adding the videos that you want to share. The maximum size per file allowed on WhatsApp is 100MB.
How can I send large video on WhatsApp iPhone?
You can send just about any large file on WhatsApp, as long as it is less than 100MB. The “Document” type in WhatsApp attachments lets you share photos, videos, music, Word & PDF files, compressed ZIP files, and more, from your Android or iOS device. When you want to share the video, make sure you choose the “Document” option instead of the usual “Photo & Video Library” option. Read this article for more information.
What is the video size limit for WhatsApp?
Normally, the allowed size limit for sharing videos on WhatsApp is 16MB. However, when you share a video as a “Document” on WhatsApp, the maximum size allowed per file is 100MB.