Discord's free upload limit is small enough that high-res screenshots, photos, and especially GIFs often get rejected with "Your files are too powerful." Compressing before you upload fixes it — and for custom server emoji, there's a separate, much tighter size cap to hit.
Discord upload limits
- Free users: 10MB per file (raised from the old 8MB).
- Nitro Basic: 50MB per file.
- Nitro: 500MB per file.
- Custom emoji: must be under 256KB, ideally 128 × 128px.
- Server icon / stickers: also have their own small caps (stickers 512KB, 320×320px).
Compressing images for chat
A screenshot or photo rarely needs to be full resolution in chat. Resize to a sensible width and compress at quality 75–85% — it'll look identical in the message and drop well under 10MB. For sharing many at once, batch-compress and send together.
The GIF problem
Animated GIFs are the most common cause of Discord upload rejections. To fit them under the limit, reduce the color palette and dimensions, or — best of all — convert to a smaller modern format. See our dedicated guide on compressing GIFs.
Emoji tip: Custom emoji must be under 256KB. Resize your image to 128 × 128px and compress — most emoji-style graphics drop far below 256KB at that size.
How to compress for Discord
Add your image or GIF
Drop the file you want to share. It's compressed on your device — nothing is uploaded to us.
Shrink to fit the limit
For images, lower quality and/or resize until you're under the limit. For GIFs, reduce colors/dimensions or convert to a smaller format.
Download and drop into Discord
Save the compressed file and drag it straight into your Discord chat.
🔧 Try Compress Image — free, private, no upload
Drop your files and get smaller versions in seconds. Quality slider, format switching, and batch processing — all in your browser.
Open Compress Image →Frequently asked questions
What's the Discord upload limit?
10MB per file for free users, 50MB with Nitro Basic, and 500MB with Nitro. Custom emoji must be under 256KB.
How do I make an image fit Discord's limit?
Resize to a reasonable width and compress at quality 75–85%. That keeps it sharp in chat while dropping it well under 10MB.
How do I compress a GIF for Discord?
Reduce its colors and dimensions, or convert it to a smaller modern format. See our compress-GIF guide for details.
What size should a Discord custom emoji be?
Under 256KB and ideally 128×128px. Resize and compress to that and it'll fit easily.