Discord File Size Limit: Free, Boost, and Nitro Caps (2026)
On a normal account, Discord caps each file at 10 MB. Boosting a server raises that to 50 MB at Level 2 and 100 MB at Level 3, while a Nitro subscription lifts your personal limit to 500 MB. Discord lowered the free cap from 25 MB to 10 MB in late 2024, so older guides quoting 8 MB or 25 MB are out of date.
The Limits at a Glance
Free / default
- 10 MB per file for any non-Nitro account in an unboosted server, per Discord’s File Attachments FAQ.
Server Boost levels
- Level 2 (7 boosts): 50 MB for every member of that server.
- Level 3 (14 boosts): 100 MB for every member, per the Server Boosting FAQ.
- Level 1 does not raise the upload cap on its own.
Nitro
- Nitro Basic: 50 MB per file.
- Nitro: 500 MB per file, per What are Nitro & Nitro Basic?.
Whose Limit Applies: Yours or the Server’s
When you upload a file, Discord checks two numbers and uses the larger one: your account’s personal cap and the cap unlocked by the server’s Boost level. A non-Nitro member posting in a Level 3 server gets that server’s 100 MB ceiling. A Nitro member posting in an unboosted server keeps their personal 500 MB.
The two do not stack. A Nitro user in a Level 3 server is still capped at their 500 MB personal limit, not 500 MB plus 100 MB. Whichever single number is highest wins.
How to Share Files Bigger Than the Limit
- Link from cloud storage. Upload to Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive and paste the share link. Discord unfurls a preview and there is no size ceiling.
- Compress before sending. Zip a folder, or run a video through HandBrake to drop it under 10 MB without trashing quality.
- Use a file-transfer service. WeTransfer, Smash, or a similar tool gives you a one-click download link for large files.
- Boost the server. If a community shares big files often, seven boosts (Level 2) gets everyone to 50 MB.
- Trim the file itself. Export video at 720p, lower the bitrate, or split a long recording into parts that each fit under the cap.
Troubleshooting
Why is my upload limit only 10 MB when I thought it was 25 MB?
Discord lowered the free per-file cap from 25 MB to 10 MB in late 2024. Any guide still listing 25 MB (or the older 8 MB) predates that change.
Does Discord Nitro Basic give me the full 500 MB?
No. Nitro Basic raises your limit to 50 MB. The full 500 MB requires the standard Nitro tier.
Does boosting a server help non-Nitro members?
Yes. Boost-level upload caps apply to every member of the server, regardless of whether they personally have Nitro.
Can I combine Nitro and a server boost to go past 500 MB?
No. Discord applies the higher of your personal cap and the server’s cap, not the sum. 500 MB is the ceiling for an individual file.
Quick Reference
| Tier | Max file size |
|---|---|
| Free / default | 10 MB |
| Boost Level 2 | 50 MB |
| Boost Level 3 | 100 MB |
| Nitro Basic | 50 MB |
| Nitro | 500 MB |
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