Sharing a Shok Sandesh on WhatsApp: Image Size, Groups and Manners
By the ShokSabha team · Published · Updated · 7 min read
WhatsApp recompresses every photo you send, and text on a card gets soft quickly. A few habits keep it readable.
Send as a document when quality matters
Choose Document instead of Photo in the attach menu. The PNG then arrives untouched, and relatives who plan to print it can use it directly. For group forwards, a regular photo is fine.
Where it should and should not go
- Family groups: send the Shok Sandesh first, then the Terahvi card when the date is fixed
- Neighbourhood and society groups: attach the card and a one-line message with the address
- Office groups: confirm with the family before posting; some prefer to share it themselves
- Large public groups: avoid posting a family's phone number there
The status video
A 9:16 video with the card slowly zooming in suits WhatsApp or Instagram status. Keep the status up for a day or two, not weeks. It is a notice, not a memorial wall.
Edit before you forward
Check names, dates and the day of the week twice. A wrong day on a forwarded card is the most common correction request we hear about.
What each downloaded file is
These are the sizes of the files this site produces, so you can pick the right one for where the card is going.
| File | Size | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| PNG | 2480 × 3508 px, which is A4 at 300 dpi | Sending as a document, and for printing |
| JPG | The same picture in a smaller file | Ordinary group forwards and slow connections |
| One A4 page | The print shop, or email | |
| Video | 1080 × 1920 px (9:16), 40 seconds, five slides with music | WhatsApp, Instagram or Facebook status |
Photo, HD photo or document
| How you send it | What WhatsApp does | Result |
|---|---|---|
| As a photo, standard quality | Shrinks and recompresses the image | Fine on a phone screen; small text goes soft when zoomed or printed |
| As a photo with the HD option switched on | Keeps a larger version | Noticeably sharper; good enough for most groups |
| As a document | Sends the file untouched | Identical to the download; the right choice for anyone who will print |
The HD button appears at the top of the screen after you pick the photo and before you press send. It has to be switched on each time.
Put the details in the caption too
Text inside an image cannot be searched, copied or tapped. Type the date, time and place again in the caption, and send the Google Maps pin as a separate message straight after. A week later someone will search the chat for 'Terahvi' and the caption is what they will find.
Group, broadcast list or status
- Group: everyone sees every reply. Right for family, where people want to respond to each other
- Broadcast list: each person receives it as a private message and replies only to you. It reaches only people who have your number saved, so it suits relatives and close friends, not a society list
- Status: seen only by contacts who open it, for 24 hours. Use it in addition to a direct message, never as the only notice
The status video on older phones
The video is 40 seconds long. Current versions of WhatsApp accept that as a single status. Older versions cut status videos at 30 seconds, so on an old phone it may post in two parts. If that happens, update WhatsApp or share the card image as the status and send the video directly.
Customs differ between families, communities and regions. This guide describes common practice, not a religious ruling; confirm dates and rites with your own priest, imam or elders. See our disclaimer.