Discord Video Shortener

Sharing videos on the Discord platform is a common part of how gamers, creators, and communities communicate. But if you’ve ever tried to upload a long or high-quality video, you may have run into size limits or problems. That’s where a good Discord video shortener or compressor comes in, helping you send the video you want without hitting an error. 

What Is a Discord Video Shortener

A Discord video shortener is essentially a tool or method to reduce the length, file size, resolution or bitrate of a video so that it can be uploaded to Discord without running into the platform’s upload size limits. It might involve trimming the video (making it shorter in duration), reducing resolution (e.g., 1080p → 720p), lowering bitrate, converting format, or using a dedicated compressor.

Why it matters on Discord

Discord free accounts have strict upload size limits: many tools mention the 8 MB limit for free users. If you exceed this, you’ll get errors like “Your files are too powerful” or “file too large to upload.” So to share videos (memes, gameplay clips, tutorials) smoothly, you often need to shorten the video (duration) or compress it.

How shortening vs compressing differ

• Shortening: Cutting parts of the video to reduce duration (thus reducing size).
  
• Compressing: Reducing the bitrate, resolution or converting format so that size goes down while duration stays the same.
  Both play a role when using a Discord video shortener.
  

How To Use A Discord Video Shortener: Step-by-step

Choose whether to shorten or compress (or both)

Decide if your video is simply too long (so you’d trim it) or simply too heavy (so you’d compress it).

Using an online compressor tool – Discord Video Shortener

Examples of tools:

• Kapwing – has a “Discord video compressor” tool that claims to help get videos under 8 MB.
  
• Clideo – “Compress Video for Discord” tool: upload → select compression preset → download.
  
• Flixier – allows compression or resizing for Discord; supports lowering resolution/frame rate.
  

Best settings to aim for

• Target resolution: If it’s 1080p, consider 720p; if 30 fps is fine, avoid 60 fps unless necessary. (Flixier recommends resolution 1080×720 and frame rate 30 fps)
  
• Bitrate: Reducing bitrate reduces size; choose a lower but reasonable bitrate so quality still holds.
  
• Format: MP4 with H.264 codec is widely compatible and efficient. Some tools mention converting to MP4 automatically.
  

Quick trimming tips– Discord Video Shortener

• Cut out unneeded intro/outro.
  
• Remove long static segments.
  
• For gameplay/montage, choose the “best highlights” to keep length down.
  

Export and verify file size

After shortening/compressing, check the output file size. It should be clearly under the upload limit of your account (8 MB for free, higher for Nitro). Then upload to Discord and verify playback quality.

Upload limits and constraints on Discord Video Shortener

When using a Discord video shortener, it’s important to understand the platform’s upload limits and how they affect your ability to share videos. By default, Discord free accounts can only upload files up to 8 MB, which means most high-quality clips or long recordings will exceed that limit. This is why many users rely on a video shortener or compressor, to reduce file size while maintaining decent quality.

Free vs Nitro account limits – Discord Video Shortener

Discord imposes different file size limits depending on your account type. Free users are typically limited to around 8 MB per file upload. Nitro users have higher limits (25 MB or more, depending on region and plan). Tools like the one from Gumlet mention “8 MB, 10 MB, 25 MB” thresholds.

Format and codec considerations

The video format, codec and resolution affect file size. A video in MOV or high bitrate may be far larger than a video in MP4 with optimized settings. One tool states that it automatically converts to MP4 for better compatibility.

The “Your files are too powerful” error and what triggers it

When you try to upload a video that exceeds the threshold (file size or maybe format) you’ll get errors. Community users on Reddit say that videos over 8 MB will get rejected or heavily compressed by Discord, leading to loss of quality.

Best practices & quality considerations –  Discord Video Shortener

Maintain good watching experience

Even when you shorten or compress, you want the video to remain watchable. Avoid extremely low resolution or too heavy compression artifacts.

Know when shortening is better than heavy compression

If your original video is very long (5-10 minutes), heavy compression may degrade quality too much. In that case, trimming to the key parts might deliver a better result.

Use appropriate voice/audio settings

Audio can also add file size; if audio is high bitrate or uncompressed, consider lowering it. Some tools allow removing audio entirely if it’s not needed. For example, Clideo’s tool allows removing audio track to make file even smaller.

Consider fallback options if you hit Discord limits

If you still can’t get under the limit without sacrificing quality:

• Upload the video elsewhere (YouTube, Vimeo, Google Drive) and share link in Discord.
  
• Break the video into smaller parts.
  
• Use Nitro upgrade if you share large videos frequently.
  

Best Discord Video Shortener 2025 – Tools & Resources 

Here’s a simple table of the best Discord video shortener tools, ideal for trimming, compressing, and optimising videos for Discord’s upload limits.

Online compressors (no software install)

• Kapwing – online, browser-based.
  
• Clideo – browser-based compression with range of formats.
  
• Flixier – offers compression, trimming, and browser editor.
  
• Gumlet – simple drag-drop tool focused on Discord video limits.
  

Offline Software Options & Advanced Methods

While not strictly “shortener” tools, advanced users may use software like HandBrake to tweak bitrates, encode with H.265 and deeply optimise. Reddit discussions highlight quality gains via offline tools.

When to consider upgrading your workflow

If you frequently upload videos (e.g., stream highlights, tutorials) to Discord, consider:

• Using consistent settings/templates so fewer adjustments needed.
  
• Keeping original high-quality versions archived.
  
• Implementing a “Discord share version” workflow (shorter length, lower resolution) besides full version.
  

Using VidAU As A Discord Video Shortener

VidAU allows users to upload their video files using the Smart Edit or Video Enhancer feature, automatically detect large sizes, and quickly shorten or compress them to meet Discord’s 8 MB or 25 MB upload limits, depending on whether you use a free or Nitro account.

How VidAU simplifies the process

VidAU’s interface is user-friendly: simply drag and drop your file, choose the target output (for example, “Under 8 MB for Discord”), and the platform automatically optimises your clip without noticeable quality loss. It supports multiple formats such as MP4, MOV, and AVI, and converts videos to Discord-friendly H.264 MP4 files for smooth uploading.

FAQ’s