There are many reasons why WhatsApp is arguably the most popular messaging platform. It was the first one to allow users message each other using phone numbers and not email address. Slowly but steadily WhatsApp introduced new features such as audio call, video call, group. Despite all the new features WhatsApp continued to compress images shared on the platform. Finally, the WhatsApp has added HD feature for photos.
Why Whatsapp Compresses Your Images?
Most of the cases WhatsApp compresses shared images. This is on top of 16MB limit on all media items. The company has now announced a new feature that lets you share photos in HD quality. It is worth noting that iMessage lets you send HD images by default.
Many times you might have noticed that photos shared on WhatsApp are of lower quality. It is evident when you zoom the image or try to edit it further. With the new HD feature, you can share images without losing out on the details or quality. No more uploading on cloud and sharing the link.
WhatsApp has already started rolling out the HD quality images feature. If you don’t see the option, head over to App Store and update WhatsApp to the latest version. Read on to learn how to send high quality images on WhatsApp for iPhone.
How To Send Photos on Whatsapp Without Losing Quality
Thanks to the new feature you will finally be able to send HD photos on WhatsApp without losing quality. You can override WhatsApp’s compression algorithm before sending the photos. However, the option is available only for bigger photos and not videos.
Time needed: 2 minutes
Follow the steps below to send HD videos on WhatsApp.
- Open WhatsApp and select the recipient with whom you want to share Photos.
- Editing tool or markup tool appears before sending picture. Tap HD icon on the top. The one with a tiny gear next to it.
- A popup appears showing Photo Quality. There are two options Standard Quality (960×1280) and HD quality (3024×4032) and press Done.
Voila! You have successfully shared a HD quality photo on WhatsApp.
Bonus- Send High Original Quality Videos in WhatsApp
Currently, you can only send WhatsApp HD photos. Meanwhile, videos continue being compressed. That said, there is a nifty trick with which you can send high quality videos on WhatsApp. The only caveat is that it has to be under 100MB. In other words, you can use this for sharing short high resolution videos. We would suggest using cloud services such as Google Drive or iCloud for sharing larger videos.
You might have noticed that WhatsApp has a document icon. It lets you share content in high quality. The trick is to use this feature and share high resolution videos. However before sending you need to save it on Files.
Tap + button and choose Document. Select the video and press send.
Limitations of WhatsApp HD Image Feature
The ability to share images on WhatsApp without losing quality is a welcome change. However, there are a few drawbacks. Firstly, the setting is only available on select photos. And unfortunately WhatsApp gets to decide which ones.
We tried out the new feature. The shared images are of high quality and HD resolution. However, it appears that WhatsApp is still compressing the images. I noticed nearly 50% reduction in image size without significant loss in image quality. There is a good chance that WhatsApp might increase rate of compression if you use it too often or overuse the feature. On a related note, WhatsApp recently announced a feature that lets you share screen on video calls.