Quick answer: A minute of 720p video is about 40 MB (iPhone 720p 30 fps (HEVC), 5.3 Mbps). An hour is about 2.3 GB. Size depends on the bitrate, which depends on the codec and frame rate more than the resolution alone.
720p file size by length
| Recording | 1 min | 5 min | 10 min | 30 min | 60 min |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 720p 30 fps (HEVC) (5.3 Mbps) | 40 MB | 199 MB | 398 MB | 1.2 GB | 2.3 GB |
| YouTube recommended upload, 720p (5 Mbps) | 38 MB | 188 MB | 375 MB | 1.1 GB | 2.2 GB |
Estimates from the bitrate: size = bitrate × length. Real files vary with the scene (motion, detail, low light) and the camera's settings. Sources: Apple's iPhone camera settings (Settings > Camera > Record Video lists the size of a minute of video); YouTube's recommended upload bitrates (SDR, standard frame rate).
How long does it take to upload?
| Upload speed | 10 minutes of YouTube recommended upload, 720p (375 MB) |
|---|---|
| 10 Mbps | about 5 min |
| 25 Mbps | about 2 min |
| 50 Mbps | about 1 min |
| 100 Mbps | about 30 s |
| 300 Mbps | about 10 s |
Upload speed is usually lower than the download speed your provider advertises. Try the upload time calculator with your own numbers.
What makes 720p files bigger or smaller
At 720p the codec and frame rate matter more than the pixels: a screen recording with little movement can be a fraction of these sizes, while 60 fps footage of sport is closer to double.
If a 720p video is still too big for an app, trimming it usually helps more than re-compressing, because 720p is already small.
Can you send it?
Can you send 5 minutes of iPhone 720p 30 fps (HEVC) (about 199 MB) as an attachment?
| App | Limit | Fits? |
|---|---|---|
| Gmail | 25 MB per email | No, send a link |
| Outlook.com | 20 to 25 MB per email | No, send a link |
| WhatsApp (document) | 2 GB per file | Yes |
| Telegram | 2 GB per file | Yes |
| Facebook Messenger | 100 MB per file | No, send a link |
| Discord (free) | 20 MB per file | No, send a link |
| Slack | 1 GB per file | Yes |
| WeTransfer (free) | 3 GB per transfer | Yes |
| Share Large Video Files | 20 GB per transfer | Send the link anywhere |
Limits from our file size limits by app table, checked against each service's help pages.
Frequently asked questions
How big is a 1-hour 720p video?
About 2 to 2.5 GB at typical phone and upload bitrates (5 to 5.3 Mbps). Screen recordings with little movement are often much smaller.
Is 720p still HD?
Yes. 720p is called HD; 1080p is Full HD. Most phones record 1080p or 4K by default now.
Can I send a 720p video on WhatsApp?
Short clips, yes. WhatsApp compresses videos picked from the gallery; send it as a document (up to 2 GB) or as a download link to keep the original.
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