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Compress a video for Telegram

Telegram accepts large files (about 2 GB for a free account), so compression is mostly for sending faster, saving mobile data or keeping a group share light. If you send the video as a file, Telegram doesn't re-compress it: you decide the result.

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How to use it
 
  1. Install ffmpeg if you haven't already.
  2. Open a terminal in the folder containing your video.
  3. Copy the generated command, adjust the file names if needed, then run it.
  4. In Telegram, send the result as a file to avoid a second round of compression.
  
When should you compress?
 
Telegram accepts large files: you don't need to compress to get under a limit. Compression is for saving upload time, saving mobile data or lightening a group where many people download the video.
 
H.264 or H.265?
 
At the same quality, H.265 produces a much smaller file, but encoding takes longer and playback requires a compatible device. The CRF values of the two codecs aren't comparable: 26 in H.264 roughly corresponds to 30 in H.265. If the recipient has an older device, stick with H.264.
Frequently asked questions
 
Do I really need to compress for Telegram?
Not for the size limit, which is high. It's useful for saving upload time, saving data or lightening a group.
What's the difference between sending as a video and as a file?
As a video, Telegram may re-compress the content. As a file, it is sent as is.
H.264 or H.265?
H.264 plays everywhere. H.265 is smaller at the same quality, but less universal.
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