Here’s a simple, up‑to‑date guide on how to send video message on WhatsApp , plus some extra tips and FAQs.

What “video message” means on WhatsApp

On WhatsApp today, “video message” usually means the round, short instant video message you record right inside the chat (very similar to a voice note, but with video).

WhatsApp also still lets you send regular full videos from your gallery or camera as normal media messages.

Step 1 – Turn on Instant Video Messages (if needed)

Some versions of WhatsApp have a specific toggle called Instant video messages in settings, and if it’s off you won’t see the video‑message button.

On Android and iPhone:

  1. Open WhatsApp.
  1. Tap Settings (gear icon; on Android you may first tap the three dots ▸ Settings).
  1. Go to Chats.
  1. Look for Instant video messages and toggle it On.

Once this is enabled, the voice‑record icon beside the text box can switch to a video icon.

Step 2 – How to send an instant video message

Use this when you want a quick video “note” without leaving the chat or opening the gallery.

  1. Open the chat
    • Open the contact or group where you want to send the video message.
  1. Switch to video mode
    • Next to the message box, you’ll see a microphone (voice note) icon.
 * Tap it once; it will change to a **video camera** icon.
  1. Record your video
    • Press and hold the video camera icon to start recording.
 * While holding, the front or rear camera records your short video message with sound.
  1. Send the message
    • Release your finger to stop recording. The video message is sent automatically in the chat, just like a voice note.

These instant video messages are designed to be short and quick to keep chats feeling light and real‑time.

Step 3 – Send a normal video (from camera or gallery)

If you want a longer or pre‑recorded video instead of a short instant bubble, you can send it as normal media.

Option A – Record and send from WhatsApp

  1. Open a chat.
  1. Tap the camera icon in the chat box.
  1. Swipe or choose Video mode if needed.
  1. Press and hold the record button to film.
  1. Review the clip, add text, emojis, or basic edits if available.
  1. Tap Send.

Option B – Send an existing video from your gallery

  1. Open the chat.
  1. Tap the attachment icon (paperclip on Android, “+” on iPhone).
  1. Choose Gallery / Photos & Videos.
  1. Select one or more videos (iPhone usually allows up to 30 items at once).
  1. Optionally add a caption, then tap Send.

Extra: Sending video “as document” for better quality

If you send long or high‑quality videos the normal way, WhatsApp compresses them. Many tutorials show a trick: send the file as a document , not as a video, to keep more quality and sometimes bypass length limits.

Basic idea:

  • In the chat, tap the attachment icon.
  • Pick Document instead of Gallery.
  • Choose your video file from your file manager.
  • Send it. The recipient downloads and plays it with their device’s video player.

This is handy for tutorials, longer clips, or when quality matters more than having a neat inline preview.

Quick HTML table summary

Here’s a compact summary as HTML, since you requested tables that way:

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Method</th>
      <th>How to do it</th>
      <th>Best for</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>Instant video message</td>
      <td>Enable Instant video messages in Settings → Chats, open a chat, tap the mic icon to switch to video, press and hold to record, release to send.[web:3][web:5][web:7][web:9]</td>
      <td>Short, casual, real‑time video notes (like a video voice note).[web:3][web:9]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Record video in WhatsApp</td>
      <td>Open a chat, tap the camera icon, switch to video, hold record, review, then send.[web:1][web:4]</td>
      <td>Fresh clips you shoot on the spot, with optional quick edits.[web:1][web:4]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Send from gallery</td>
      <td>Open a chat, tap attachment → Gallery/Photos, pick one or multiple videos, add caption, send.[web:3]</td>
      <td>Videos you already have saved, including multiple clips at once.[web:3]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Send video as document</td>
      <td>Open a chat, tap attachment → Document, select video file, send; recipient downloads to play.[web:10]</td>
      <td>Longer or higher‑quality videos where compression is a problem.[web:10][web:6]</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

Tiny “Quick Scoop” recap (for your post)

  • Make sure Instant video messages is turned on in WhatsApp settings.
  • In a chat, tap the mic to switch to a video icon, then press and hold to record a short instant video. Release to send.
  • For longer or pre‑recorded clips, use the camera icon or send from your gallery.
  • For maximum quality or longer videos, send the file as a document instead of normal video.

If you tell me whether your readers are mostly on Android or iPhone, I can rewrite this as a step‑by‑step blog section tailored to that platform.