If you are having trouble with the Discord videos and wonder, “Why Does Discord Turn My Videos Into Files?” This article will answer all your questions.
It can be really annoying when you send a video to another user or in server chat, but Discord suddenly turns it into a downloadable file. This phenomenon is due to server issues and some restrictions set by the developers and moderators of the Discord application.
Discord lets users send and receive all types of media files in their specific category. Some of these media files can be seen directly on Discord without downloading them, such as images, videos, and links. But sometimes, after sending several types of videos, like a “.MKV” file, Discord turns them into downloadable video files. In this article, we will find out why Discord turns your videos into files. We will also discuss possible preventative measures and solutions.
Why Does Discord Turn Videos Into Files?
Discord turns your videos into files to make them easier to share, view, and download by other users on the platform. The platform does this by converting the video into a compatible format and compressing it to reduce its file size. This conversion is also caused by the mismatched codec and Discord settings.
What do we mean by specific encoding / mismatched codec? Well, if the video file is encoded in a different codec than what is supported by Discord. For example, if the video is encoded in the H265 or MKV codec, then it will be shared as a file:
How to Stop Discord From Viewing Video as a File?
If you are tired of seeing videos being sent as a file, then first make sure that the file that you are sending is less than or equal to 10 MB. After that, make sure the file is in H264 or MP4. After that, make sure that the Video and Image view is enabled in the user settings.
Let’s explain these solutions one by one:
Solution 1: Verify Video File Format
As mentioned above, if the video file is of an unsupported format like MKV or H265, then it will be displayed as a downloadable file. First, check the file format by simply right-clicking on your file and clicking on properties:
In the properties dialogue box, under the “General” tab, you will be able to see the “File Type”:
Once you have verified that the file is not in the supported format (Usually MP4), then you can use any video-file converter available on the internet to convert your video file into MP4. After the video has been converted, you can send the same video to the Discord channel, and it will be shown as a playable video:
This way, you can easily save your video file from being converted into a file.
Solution 2: Verify the File Size
If the file conversion hasn’t fixed your issue, then chances are that it is being caused by a large file size. So you have to verify that the file is less than 10 MB in size. To do this, right-click on the converted file and click on properties:
In the “General tab,” you will be able to see the file size as well:
If the file is greater than 10 MB, then consider using any tool to crop it into smaller chunks and send them into Discord. Otherwise, you can use any conversion tool again to compress a video to a lower resolution that will reduce its overall size.
Solution 3: Enable Image & Video Preview From Settings
If the above two fixes were not able to fix your problem, then chances are, the settings for displaying “Text & Images” are wrong:
To fix this, open up your Discord and click on the “Gear Icon” right next to your profile name to access the user settings:
From the left-side navigation panel, select “Text & Images” under the “App Settings”:
In this setting, check the status of the top two options in the settings:
If these options are disabled, then enable them by clicking over the sliders on the right:
Once that is done, close down the settings and head back to the channel where the video has been sent, you will see that now the video is being displayed as a “Playable Video“:
With that, you have successfully stopped Discord from turning your videos into files. However, you might feel like the quality of the video that you have sent might have been reduced/compressed. This takes us to our next question.
Does Discord Compress Video Files?
The answer to this question is “Yes.” Discord does indeed compress your video files when their size is greater than “8 MB”. However, if the video file is larger than 10 MB, then Discord asks you to purchase Nitro. Purchasing Nitro can stop your files from being compressed and sent at a lower quality.
How to Stop Discord From Compressing Your Videos/Files?
Well, there is no “Setting” in Discord to stop it from converting your files. One simple trick is to use a zipping tool (7zip or WinRAR) convert your file into a zipped file, and send it to the discord channel. The content of the zipped file cannot be edited. The video file will not be compressed.
Let’s demonstrate this process step by step. First, make sure you have installed either WinRAR or 7zip (WinRAR will be used for this post). Right-click on the file and click on the “Add to archive” option:
In the new dialogue box, give your file a name and select the “Archive Format” to “ZIP”:
After that. Click on the “OK” button at the bottom of the dialogue box:
After that, your file will be zipped:
Now, send the file to the Discord channel, and it will be shared without compressing its quality. However, as mentioned above, you will still require Nitro if the file is greater than 8 MB.
Wrap up
In summary, Discord converts videos into files when they are not of the supported file type or bigger than the upload size limit. To tackle this, you can convert the file format using video file converters or change the display settings for “Text & Images.”
Alternatively, if you want to send video files without compression, then simply zipping them and sending the zipped file over the Discord channel is a great option.
Hey, I’m Hammad. I have been writing for several years now and have amassed a wealth of experience within my field. My focus is on technology and gaming, two areas that I am highly knowledgeable about. Also, I’m writer for iPhonEscape.com and CPUGPUnerds.com as well and where I have written over 350 articles.