The workflow
You addOne or more videos (MP4, MOV, WebM and more)
Branch 1
- 1
Target 14 MB, MP4
A 14 MB attachment can grow to roughly 19 MB with message encoding. Account, server and recipient limits vary; check the actual sending app. The target sets the bitrate from the video's length, so long videos lose more detail than short ones.
- 2
Rename files
video-email.mp4
Marks the copy made for sending, so it is not confused with the original.
Branch 2 · from the same files
- 3
Frame at 1 second, JPG
The very first frame is often black or blurred while the camera starts. One second in usually shows the scene.
- 4
Longest side up to 1280 px, never enlarge
A message body is a few hundred pixels wide; 1280 px stays sharp on high-density screens without bloating the email.
- 5
JPG, quality 78
Keeps the inline still to a small fraction of the attachment.
Branch 3 · from the same files
- 6
1–5 s, up to 480 px wide, 10 fps, looping
Most mail apps play GIFs inline, so a short loop previews the video right in the message. Four seconds at 480 px and 10 fps stayed under 1 MB in our test.
You getPer video: an MP4 targeting 14 MB, a JPG still up to 1280 px and a GIF up to 480 px wide
A measured run
We ran this recipe on 1 October 2026 in a Chromium-based desktop browser on a Mac, with our own 40.9-second 1080p screen recording (H.264, no sound, 15.5 MB).
Original15.5 MB1,920 × 1,080 px, 40.9 sEmail copy12.8 MB1,920 × 1,080 px MP4, full lengthStill21.5 KB1,280 × 720 px JPGGIF preview755.6 KB480 × 270 px, 4 s The measured 12.8 MB copy would be roughly 17.5 MB once encoded for email; compare that with your account’s actual message limit. The compressor kept full 1080p because 14 MB leaves enough bitrate for 41 seconds; for a longer video it lowers the resolution. A screen recording has large flat areas, so camera footage with movement and grain looks softer at the same size.
Will 14 MB look good?
Account limits (checked 17 October 2026): Gmail attachments · Outlook.com message limit · Desktop Outlook Internet-account attachment limit
That depends on the length. A 30-second clip at 14 MB has roughly ten times the bitrate budget of a five-minute clip at the same size, before overhead and audio. Motion, source quality and encoder settings determine how either looks. For long videos, trim the part that matters first or share a link instead. Personal Gmail accounts allow 25 MB of total attachments; work and school limits are set by administrators. Outlook.com lists a 25 MB limit for the complete email, including its text and attachments. Desktop Outlook Internet accounts have a default 20 MB total attachment limit; Exchange limits depend on the server. Leave space for encoding and other attachments, and check both sending and receiving limits.
The compressor also lowers the resolution when the target leaves too little bitrate for the original size. Check the result in the step's output pane before downloading.
How to use the workflow
- Select Open this workflow, then add your videos in the Input pane.
- Select Run workflow. All three branches run from the same input files.
- Attach the MP4 from Rename files, and insert the JPG or GIF into the message body.
Changing the target
- For a different account limit, change the target and leave room for message encoding and other attachments.
- A work server with a 10 MB limit: set the target to about 7 MB.
- Want the clip shorter first? Add Trim Video before Compress Video.
Questions
Which browsers can run this?
Video steps require compatible WebCodecs. Available encoders differ by browser and device; an unsupported required encoder stops the step with an error.
Is the video uploaded to be compressed?
No. Decoding and encoding happen in your browser, and large outputs are written to the browser's private storage, not to a server.
Does the GIF have sound?
No. GIFs are silent pictures. When the source contains sound and this browser can encode it, the MP4 includes it; check any sound-loss notice and the actual output before sharing.