Discord File Upload Limit in 2026: It's 20 MB Now, Not 10
Founder of sto.care. Writes about file transfer, curl, and the tools developers reach for when scp is not an option.
Search "Discord file upload limit" and half the results still say 10 MB. That changed in August 2026, when Discord raised the free upload limit to 20 MB — some accounts are seeing 25 MB as part of an ongoing test. Most of the internet hasn't caught up yet.
There's a catch, though: Discord also changed how it measures your file. If you just tried to share a game clip or a phone video and still got hit with "Your files are too powerful!", here's what's actually going on.
What's the actual Discord file upload limit?
The limit is now applied per file, not per message — that's a change from how it used to work. You can attach up to 10 files per message, and each one just needs to fit under your tier's cap on its own.
The bigger catch is that Discord now checks the size of your raw, uncompressed file before you hit send, not the compressed version it used to check on desktop. Camera files straight off a phone — especially on Android — tend to be large before any compression happens, so some people are hitting the cap more often despite the higher number. It doesn't matter whether you're on desktop, mobile, or web; same limit, same across DMs, text channels, threads, and forums.
Why did Discord change the file upload limit again?
Discord has changed this number four times now:
- Before April 2023: 8 MB for free users
- April 2023: Raised to 25 MB (briefly generous)
- September 2024: Cut back to 10 MB
- August 2026: Raised to 20 MB (current), with 25 MB testing for some accounts
The 2024 cut came with Discord citing "storage management is expensive", since Discord keeps uploaded files on its CDN for as long as the message exists. Discord hasn't given a detailed public reason for doubling the limit again in 2026, but it arrived alongside the stricter pre-compression size check — effectively a bigger number that's measured more strictly.
The cheapest way past 20 MB is still $2.99/month for Nitro Basic, which bumps the limit to 50 MB. The full Nitro at $9.99/month gets you 500 MB. Those tiers haven't changed.
What files are bigger than 20 MB?
Short answer: most video, but photos, GIFs, and compressed audio usually clear it now.
A 15-second ShadowPlay clip at 1080p60 still runs around 75 MB, nearly 4 times over the free limit. Even a 30-second video from your phone easily hits 50 MB. Those still bounce. But a 3-minute FLAC song at around 15 MB and a high-quality 720p GIF around 12 MB now clear the 20 MB bar, which wasn't true at the old 10 MB limit.
The things that fit: photos, GIFs, compressed audio, and most documents. Anything involving raw or lightly-compressed video is still going to bounce — and remember, that raw check now applies before any client-side compression, so the file has to actually be small, not just look small on screen.
How does Discord's limit compare to other platforms?
Discord's 20 MB free limit is still the lowest of any major chat platform, even after doubling. Telegram gives you 2 GB for free — 100 times more. WhatsApp matches Telegram. Even Slack, which is built for work, lets you upload files up to 1 GB.
Discord's argument is that they store files forever, while platforms like Telegram compress content and WhatsApp doesn't keep files on their servers long-term. That's fair. But even Discord Nitro at $9.99/month caps out at 500 MB, which is still less than Telegram's free tier.
How to send large files on Discord without Nitro
Compress the video
HandBrake (free, open source) has a built-in "Discord Small" preset that used to target 10 MB for 2-minute clips at 360p30 — you now have some extra headroom to aim for the new 20 MB cap instead. Works if you're slightly over the limit. For anything bigger, the quality loss is brutal.
If you know your way around the command line, FFmpeg can do the same thing: ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vcodec libx264 -crf 28 -vf scale=720:-2 output.mp4. CRF 28 is aggressive but keeps things small.
Online compressors like VEED and Clideo work too, but you're uploading your file to a stranger's server to get it compressed. Think about whether that matters to you.
Upload somewhere else and paste the link
This is the simplest approach and doesn't destroy your video quality. Upload the file to a sharing service, copy the link, paste it in Discord.
- sto.care handles files up to 25 GB. No account needed. Upload, get a link, paste it in chat. Files auto-delete after 7 days. Full disclosure: we built it.
- Streamable is popular for short gaming clips because videos embed with an inline player right in Discord. Free tier: 250 MB, 10-minute max, files expire after 90 days (24 hours without an account).
- Catbox.moe is big in Discord and anime communities. 200 MB limit, files stick around permanently. Their sister service Litterbox does temporary uploads up to 1 GB.
- Google Drive gives you 15 GB of free storage, but links don't embed in Discord. You just get a plain URL. Fine for documents, awkward for videos.
For more options, check out our guide to sending large files for free.
Split the file
7-Zip and WinRAR can split files into chunks sized just under your tier's cap (19 MB for free accounts, to stay safely under 20 MB). Works for things like code archives, documents, or project files. Totally impractical for video because the recipient can't preview partial files. They have to download all parts and reassemble.
Use a Discord bot
NoUSB.co offers peer-to-peer file sharing through a Discord bot. No files get stored on a third-party server. There's also a BetterDiscord plugin called SplitLargeFiles that automatically chunks and reassembles. Two caveats: Discord bots themselves have an 8 MB API upload limit (even lower than users), and BetterDiscord technically violates Discord's Terms of Service.
Is Discord Nitro worth it just for bigger uploads?
Quick math. Nitro Basic is $2.99/month, or $36 per year, and gets you 50 MB uploads. Full Nitro is $9.99/month, or $120 per year, for 500 MB.
If bigger uploads are your only reason for subscribing, that's a hard sell when free alternatives exist. You could upload to sto.care, Streamable, or Catbox and save that money.
But Nitro comes with other stuff: custom emoji across all servers, HD video streaming up to 4K, two free server boosts, animated avatars, longer messages (4,000 characters instead of 2,000), and early access to new features. If you use those perks, the upload limit is a nice bonus on top. If you don't, you're paying a lot just to send bigger files.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Discord file upload limit?
20 MB for free users as of August 2026 (some accounts see 25 MB in an ongoing test), 50 MB for Nitro Basic ($2.99/month), and 500 MB for full Nitro ($9.99/month). The limit is now checked against the raw file, before compression.
Why did Discord change the file upload limit?
Discord cut the free limit from 25 MB to 10 MB in September 2024, citing storage costs and saying 99% of users upload files smaller than 10 MB. In August 2026 it raised the free limit back up to 20 MB, alongside a stricter pre-compression size check.
How do I send files larger than 20 MB on Discord?
Compress the file, upload it to a sharing service and paste the link in chat, split it into smaller parts, or upgrade to Nitro. For most people, uploading somewhere else and sharing the link is the easiest approach.
Does Discord Nitro increase the file size limit?
Yes. Nitro Basic raises it to 50 MB per file. Full Nitro raises it to 500 MB. Those tiers didn't change in the August 2026 update.
Can I send large videos on Discord for free?
Not by uploading directly, in most cases. Even a 15-second game clip at 1080p is around 75 MB, well over the 20 MB free limit. You can compress it (quality suffers) or upload it to a service like sto.care, Streamable, or Catbox and share the link.
What happens when you hit Discord's file size limit?
Discord shows "Your files are too powerful!" and suggests upgrading to Nitro. There's no built-in workaround. Unlike Gmail, which redirects to Google Drive, Discord just blocks the upload.
Do server boosts increase the file upload limit?
Level 2 (7 boosts) raises the limit to 50 MB for all members. Level 3 (14 boosts) raises it to 100 MB. Level 1 doesn't change the file limit. Your personal Nitro limit still applies if it's higher.
How does Discord's file limit compare to Telegram?
Discord's free limit is 20 MB. Telegram's free limit is 2 GB. That's 100 times more capacity without paying anything.