Discord File Size Limits (2026)
For non-Nitro users, Discord caps every upload at 10 MB: images, videos, and documents alike. It's the same limit in DMs, group chats, and servers.
| Plan | Upload Limit | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 10 MB | $0 |
| Nitro Basic | 50 MB | $2.99/mo |
| Nitro | 500 MB | $9.99/mo |
You don't have to pay, though. There are two free ways past the limit: share a link (no size cap at all) or raise your server's limit with boosts. Both are covered below.
Method 1: Paste a Transfer Link (Recommended)
The cleanest way around the limit is to not upload to Discord at all and share a link instead. There's no size cap, the recipient doesn't have to install anything, and the link previews right inside the chat.
Transfer.zip is the fastest option for this:
- Open Transfer.zip and pick Quick Transfer.
- Select your files (or a whole folder), any size.
- Copy the link and paste it into Discord.
Files stream in real time, end-to-end encrypted, so there's no upload wait and nothing is stored on a server. Keep the tab open until your friend finishes downloading, no account required.
Transfer.zip's Quick Transfer page.
A transfer link unfurls into a clickable preview in Discord, and your recipient downloads straight from their browser without installing or signing up for anything.
Other services that work the same way
All free, all no-account:
- SwissTransfer - up to 50 GB, files kept 30 days, optional password. Handy when the recipient is offline and grabs it later.
SwissTransfer's upload page.
- Send Anywhere - direct device-to-device transfers with a 6-digit key or a download link. A long-time favorite in gaming and Discord circles.
Send Anywhere's transfer page.
- WeTransfer - up to 3 GB, 7-day expiry, capped at 10 transfers/month on the free tier.
Already on Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive?
Upload there, set sharing to "Anyone with the link," and paste it in Discord. Best when you want the file to stick around long-term, just know it eats your storage quota.
Method 2: Boost the Server to Raise the Limit (No Nitro)
Server Boosts raise the upload limit for everyone in that server, Nitro or not:
- Level 2 (7 boosts) → 50 MB per file
- Level 3 (14 boosts) → 100 MB per file
If you're already in a community boosted to Level 2 or 3, you can drop bigger files there right now, no Nitro needed.
The raised limit only applies inside that boosted server, not in DMs. And boosts cost money, so buying them just to send one file isn't worth it: a single Nitro subscription is cheaper than the boosts needed to reach 50 MB. Use this when a server is already boosted.
Method 3: Split the File into Parts (Upload Straight to Discord)
If you need the file uploaded in Discord, not as a link, split it into chunks under 10 MB.
Install 7-Zip, right-click your file → Add to archive → set Split to volumes to 9M. You'll get file.7z.001, .002, and so on. Upload each part to Discord.
To rebuild it, the recipient downloads every part into one folder and extracts .001 with 7-Zip.
All parts must sit in the same folder to extract. If even one is missing, the archive won't open, so make sure your recipient grabs every piece before extracting.
WinRAR works the same way: right-click → Add to archive → Split to volumes, 9M.
Method 4: Compress or Shrink the File
Zipping only helps with text and documents, where it can shave 70-90% off. Videos, photos, MP3s, and PDFs are already compressed, so zipping barely changes them. Skip it for those.
- Windows: right-click → Send to → Compressed (zipped) folder
- Mac: right-click → Compress "[filename]"
For video, the win is re-encoding, not zipping. Dropping a clip to 720p with HandBrake or Vert.sh often gets it well under 10 MB while still looking sharp. Full walkthrough: How to compress a video.
A short gameplay or screen-recording clip re-encoded to H.264 at 720p usually lands under 10 MB and uploads straight to Discord, no link needed.
FAQ
How do I send a video larger than 10 MB on Discord? Either re-encode it to 720p so it fits (Method 4), or, to keep full quality, upload it to Transfer.zip and paste the link. A link has no size cap.
Does boosting a server remove the file limit? It raises it, doesn't remove it: a Level 2 server allows 50 MB and Level 3 allows 100 MB for every member. It only applies in that server, and it still caps out. For anything bigger, share a link.
What's the largest file I can send on Discord for free? Uploaded directly into chat: 100 MB, and only in a Level 3 boosted server. As a link, there's no limit. Transfer.zip handles files of any size.
Can I get banned for sharing external links? No. Discord allows external links, and posting a download link for an oversized file is completely normal.
Can I send large files in Discord DMs? The same 10 MB limit applies in DMs and group chats. Boosts only help inside a server, so for DMs use a link, a split archive, or a compressed file.
Is Nitro worth it just for uploads? If you regularly send 50-500 MB files and want the other perks, maybe. For the occasional big file, a free link is enough, and Nitro still caps at 500 MB, so anything larger needs a link anyway.
Bottom line: You don't need Nitro to share large files on Discord. For anything over 10 MB, paste a link. Transfer.zip gives you one instantly and for free, with no size limit.
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