Ethan Crossfield 
Discord users can now send larger files without subscribing to Nitro. The platform has increased its free upload limit to 20MB, giving non-paying users twice the capacity they had after a controversial 2024 reduction. The change is available immediately, although paid subscribers will not receive higher limits as part of this update.
What changed for free Discord users
Discord’s free upload ceiling has moved from 10MB to 20MB. That makes it easier to share screenshots, short clips, documents, and other files in direct messages or communities without splitting them into multiple uploads or using another service.
The increase reverses part of the 2024 change, when Discord reduced the free limit from 25MB to 10MB. The company said most users were uploading files smaller than 10MB and pointed to the ongoing cost of storing uploaded content. That explanation did not prevent a strong negative response from users, many of whom viewed the reduction as an unnecessary loss of functionality.
The new 20MB limit is therefore a meaningful improvement over the current experience, even though it does not fully restore the older allowance.
Who benefits, and which limits remain unchanged
The update is aimed at users who do not pay for Discord’s subscription tiers. Nitro Basic remains capped at 50MB per upload, while the full Nitro subscription continues to support files up to 500MB. Discord has not announced an increase for either paid plan.
For most free users, the practical benefit will depend on what they share. Everyday images and small documents should fit more comfortably, while larger videos and other media may still require compression, a link, or a separate file-hosting service. Users who already subscribe to Nitro or Nitro Basic should not expect this announcement to change their current upload allowance.
What could come next for Discord
The decision to raise the free limit suggests Discord is responding, at least partially, to the criticism surrounding the 2024 rollback. Some users may still want the platform to return to the previous 25MB ceiling, but Discord has not indicated that another increase is planned.
This arrives during a broader period of changes for the service. Discord and Xbox partnered earlier in 2026, with Xbox Game Pass Starter offered as a perk for Discord Nitro subscribers. Xbox Game Pass members also receive Discord-related benefits such as Orbs and shop discounts, while Nitro Basic does not include the same package of perks. The upload adjustment gives free users a direct improvement without requiring a subscription, even as Discord continues to position Nitro as its premium option.
What players should know
- Free Discord users can upload files up to 20MB immediately.
- The previous free limit was 10MB, following a reduction from 25MB in 2024.
- Nitro Basic remains limited to 50MB, while Nitro supports uploads up to 500MB.
- The update does not restore the former 25MB free allowance.
- Larger files may still require compression or an external sharing service.
Discord upload limits
| Discord tier | Maximum upload size |
|---|---|
| Free | 20MB |
| Nitro Basic | 50MB |
| Nitro | 500MB |
Expert View
This is a useful quality-of-life improvement for Discord’s free audience and a reasonable response to the frustration caused by the 2024 reduction. However, it is a partial restoration rather than a full reversal: free users still have less capacity than they once did, and paid-tier limits remain unchanged. For anyone who regularly shares files just above 10MB, the update is worth following immediately; users needing larger media will still have a reason to consider Nitro or another hosting option.
