Accepted content types for media
This document describes the MIME types and size limits Twilio accepts when you send media through the Programmable Messaging API over MMS, RCS, or WhatsApp.
To send a media message, include the MediaUrl parameter in your request to the Programmable Messaging API. Twilio issues GET and HEAD requests to the MediaUrl to validate the file's Content-Type header. If the header value does not match the actual media type, Twilio rejects the request.
When you send an outbound message, the combined size of the message and its media must stay below the channel's maximum limit. Twilio returns an error if any file—or the collection of files—exceeds that limit.
- MMS: 5 MB
- RCS: 16 MB
If an RCS message falls back to MMS, Twilio rejects bodies larger than the MMS limit (5 MB). - WhatsApp: 16 MB
Add a Content-Disposition header so recipients see the correct file name:
Content-Disposition: inline; filename="<EXPECTED_FILENAME>.<EXTENSION>"
- Don't use spaces.
- Keep file names to 20 characters or less.
- Avoid most special characters, such as
~ ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) [ ] { }.
Warning
Carrier-specific MMS size limitations for non-image files are documented in this Help Center article.
| MIME-type category | MIME type | MMS | RCS | Can combine with text in | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Images | image/jpeg | Yes | Yes | Yes | MMS, RCS, WhatsApp |
| image/jpg | Yes | Yes | Yes | MMS, RCS, WhatsApp | |
| image/gif | Yes | Yes | Yes | MMS, RCS | |
| image/png | Yes | Yes | Yes | MMS, RCS, WhatsApp | |
| image/heic | Yes | No | Yes | MMS | |
| image/heif | Yes | No | Yes | MMS | |
| image/tiff | Yes | No | Yes | MMS | |
| image/bmp | Yes | No | Yes | MMS | |
| image/webp The image/webp type is used only for WhatsApp stickers, which have additional requirements. See the WhatsApp FAQ for details. | No | No | Yes | ||
| Video | video/mpeg4 | Yes | Yes | Yes | MMS, RCS |
| video/mp4 | Yes | Yes | Yes | MMS, RCS, WhatsApp | |
| video/mpeg | Yes | Yes | Yes | MMS, RCS | |
| video/webm | Yes | Yes | Yes | MMS, RCS | |
| video/quicktime | Yes | No | Yes | MMS | |
| video/3gpp | Yes | No | Yes | MMS | |
| video/3gpp2 | Yes | No | Yes | MMS | |
| video/3gpp-tt | Yes | No | Yes | MMS | |
| video/H261 | Yes | No | Yes | MMS | |
| video/H263 | Yes | Yes | Yes | MMS, RCS | |
| video/H263-1998 | Yes | No | Yes | MMS | |
| video/H263-2000 | Yes | No | Yes | MMS | |
| video/H264 | Yes | No | Yes | MMS | |
| video/H265 | Yes | No | Yes | MMS | |
| Audio | audio/ogg | Yes | Yes | Yes | MMS, WhatsApp |
| audio/mpeg | Yes | Yes | Yes | MMS, WhatsApp | |
| audio/mp4 | Yes | Yes | Yes | MMS | |
| audio/mp3 | Yes | Yes | Yes | MMS | |
| audio/3gpp | Yes | Yes | Yes | MMS, WhatsApp | |
| audio/3gpp2 | Yes | No | Yes | MMS | |
| audio/basic | Yes | No | Yes | MMS | |
| audio/L24 | Yes | No | Yes | MMS | |
| audio/vnd.rn-realaudio | Yes | No | Yes | MMS | |
| audio/vnd.wave | Yes | No | Yes | MMS | |
| audio/ac3 | Yes | No | Yes | MMS, WhatsApp | |
| audio/webm | Yes | No | Yes | MMS | |
| audio/amr-nb | Yes | No | Yes | MMS | |
| audio/amr | Yes | No | Yes | MMS, WhatsApp | |
| Text | text/vcard | Yes | No | Yes | MMS |
| text/x-vcard | Yes | No | Yes | MMS, WhatsApp | |
| text/directory | Yes | No | Yes | MMS | |
| text/csv | Yes | No | Yes | MMS | |
| text/richtext | Yes | No | Yes | MMS | |
| text/rtf | Yes | No | Yes | MMS | |
| text/calendar | Yes | No | Yes | MMS | |
| Application | application/pdf | Yes | Yes | Yes | MMS, WhatsApp |
| application/vcard | Yes | No | Yes | ||
| application/msword | No | No | Yes | ||
| application/vnd.ms-excel | No | No | Yes | ||
| application/vnd.ms-powerpoint | No | No | Yes | ||
| application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.presentationml.presentation | No | No | Yes | ||
| application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet | No | No | Yes | ||
| application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document | No | No | Yes |