diff --git a/src/components/PostEditor/PostContent.tsx b/src/components/PostEditor/PostContent.tsx
index 93bcede8..fb4a0770 100644
--- a/src/components/PostEditor/PostContent.tsx
+++ b/src/components/PostEditor/PostContent.tsx
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ export default function PostContent({
   const mediaUploaderBtnRef = useRef<HTMLButtonElement>(null)
   const [posting, setPosting] = useState(false)
   const [uploadProgresses, setUploadProgresses] = useState<
-    { file: File; progress: number; cancel: () => void }[]
+    { file: File; progress: number; cancel: () => void; phase: 'compressing' | 'uploading' }[]
   >([])
   const [showMoreOptions, setShowMoreOptions] = useState(false)
   const [createCustomEventOpen, setCreateCustomEventOpen] = useState(false)
@@ -1490,8 +1490,22 @@ export default function PostContent({
     }
   }
 
+  const handleUploadCompressPhase = useCallback((file: File, phase: 'compressing' | 'uploading') => {
+    setUploadProgresses((prev) =>
+      prev.map((row) => (row.file === file ? { ...row, phase } : row))
+    )
+  }, [])
+
   const handleUploadStart = (file: File, cancel: () => void) => {
-    setUploadProgresses((prev) => [...prev, { file, progress: 0, cancel }])
+    setUploadProgresses((prev) => [
+      ...prev,
+      {
+        file,
+        progress: 0,
+        cancel,
+        phase: fileLooksLikeUploadableMedia(file) ? 'compressing' : 'uploading'
+      }
+    ])
     // Track file for media upload
     if (fileLooksLikeUploadableMedia(file)) {
       const mapKey = `${file.name}-${file.size}-${file.lastModified}`
@@ -1541,7 +1555,11 @@ export default function PostContent({
 
   const handleUploadProgress = (file: File, progress: number) => {
     setUploadProgresses((prev) =>
-      prev.map((item) => (item.file === file ? { ...item, progress } : item))
+      prev.map((item) =>
+        item.file === file
+          ? { ...item, progress, phase: progress > 0 ? 'uploading' : item.phase }
+          : item
+      )
     )
   }
 
@@ -2763,6 +2781,7 @@ export default function PostContent({
           onUploadProgress={handleUploadProgress}
           onUploadEnd={handleUploadEnd}
           onUploadSuccess={handleMediaUploadSuccess}
+          onUploadCompressPhase={handleUploadCompressPhase}
           kind={getDeterminedKind}
           highlightData={isHighlight ? highlightData : undefined}
           pollCreateData={isPoll ? pollCreateData : undefined}
@@ -3024,17 +3043,29 @@ export default function PostContent({
         </div>
       )}
       {uploadProgresses.length > 0 &&
-        uploadProgresses.map(({ file, progress, cancel }, index) => (
+        uploadProgresses.map(({ file, progress, cancel, phase }, index) => (
           <div key={`${file.name}-${index}`} className="mt-2 flex items-end gap-2">
             <div className="min-w-0 flex-1">
-              <div className="truncate text-xs text-muted-foreground mb-1">
+              <div className="truncate text-xs text-muted-foreground mb-0.5">
                 {file.name ?? t('Uploading...')}
               </div>
+              <div className="text-[11px] text-muted-foreground mb-1 leading-snug">
+                {phase === 'compressing'
+                  ? t('Compressing on your device before upload (large videos can take several minutes)…')
+                  : t('Uploading to media server…')}
+              </div>
               <div className="h-0.5 w-full rounded-full bg-muted overflow-hidden">
-                <div
-                  className="h-full bg-primary transition-[width] duration-200 ease-out"
-                  style={{ width: `${progress}%` }}
-                />
+                {phase === 'compressing' ? (
+                  <div
+                    className="h-full w-1/3 max-w-[45%] animate-pulse rounded-full bg-primary motion-reduce:animate-none motion-reduce:w-full motion-reduce:opacity-60"
+                    aria-hidden
+                  />
+                ) : (
+                  <div
+                    className="h-full bg-primary transition-[width] duration-200 ease-out"
+                    style={{ width: `${progress}%` }}
+                  />
+                )}
               </div>
             </div>
             <button
@@ -3078,6 +3109,7 @@ export default function PostContent({
           onUploadStart={handleUploadStart}
           onUploadEnd={handleUploadEnd}
           onProgress={handleUploadProgress}
+          onUploadCompressPhase={handleUploadCompressPhase}
           accept="image/*,audio/*,video/*,.mkv,.mka,video/x-matroska,audio/x-matroska"
           className="sr-only"
         >
@@ -3093,6 +3125,7 @@ export default function PostContent({
               onUploadStart={handleUploadStart}
               onUploadEnd={handleUploadEnd}
               onProgress={handleUploadProgress}
+              onUploadCompressPhase={handleUploadCompressPhase}
               accept="audio/*,.mka,audio/x-matroska"
             >
               <Button 
@@ -3111,6 +3144,7 @@ export default function PostContent({
             onUploadStart={handleUploadStart}
             onUploadEnd={handleUploadEnd}
             onProgress={handleUploadProgress}
+            onUploadCompressPhase={handleUploadCompressPhase}
             accept="image/*"
           >
             <Button type="button" variant="ghost" size="icon" title={t('Upload Image')}>
diff --git a/src/components/PostEditor/PostTextarea/ClipboardAndDropHandler.ts b/src/components/PostEditor/PostTextarea/ClipboardAndDropHandler.ts
index 31db9092..b59b0115 100644
--- a/src/components/PostEditor/PostTextarea/ClipboardAndDropHandler.ts
+++ b/src/components/PostEditor/PostTextarea/ClipboardAndDropHandler.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ export interface ClipboardAndDropHandlerOptions {
   onUploadSuccess?: (result: { url: string; tags: string[][]; file: File }) => void
   onUploadEnd?: (file: File) => void
   onUploadProgress?: (file: File, progress: number) => void
+  /** Same as `Uploader.onUploadCompressPhase` — keeps the post editor progress row in sync during local compression. */
+  onUploadCompressPhase?: (file: File, phase: 'compressing' | 'uploading') => void
 }
 
 export const ClipboardAndDropHandler = Extension.create<ClipboardAndDropHandlerOptions>({
@@ -138,7 +140,9 @@ async function uploadFiles(
     mediaUpload
       .upload(file, {
         onProgress: (p) => options.onUploadProgress?.(file, p),
-        signal: abortController?.signal
+        signal: abortController?.signal,
+        onCompressStart: () => options.onUploadCompressPhase?.(file, 'compressing'),
+        onCompressEnd: () => options.onUploadCompressPhase?.(file, 'uploading')
       })
       .then((result) => {
         options.onUploadEnd?.(file)
diff --git a/src/components/PostEditor/PostTextarea/index.tsx b/src/components/PostEditor/PostTextarea/index.tsx
index 811a3bc2..8133c6d9 100644
--- a/src/components/PostEditor/PostTextarea/index.tsx
+++ b/src/components/PostEditor/PostTextarea/index.tsx
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ const PostTextarea = forwardRef<
     onUploadProgress?: (file: File, progress: number) => void
     onUploadEnd?: (file: File) => void
     onUploadSuccess?: (result: { url: string; tags: string[][]; file: File }) => void
+    onUploadCompressPhase?: (file: File, phase: 'compressing' | 'uploading') => void
     kind?: number
     highlightData?: HighlightData
     pollCreateData?: import('@/types').TPollCreateData
@@ -84,6 +85,7 @@ const PostTextarea = forwardRef<
       onUploadProgress,
       onUploadEnd,
       onUploadSuccess,
+      onUploadCompressPhase,
       kind = 1,
       highlightData,
       pollCreateData,
@@ -100,6 +102,8 @@ const PostTextarea = forwardRef<
     const { t } = useTranslation()
     const onUploadSuccessRef = useRef(onUploadSuccess)
     onUploadSuccessRef.current = onUploadSuccess
+    const onUploadCompressPhaseRef = useRef(onUploadCompressPhase)
+    onUploadCompressPhaseRef.current = onUploadCompressPhase
     const [activeTab, setActiveTab] = useState('preview')
     const [draftEventJson, setDraftEventJson] = useState<string>('')
     const [isLoadingJson, setIsLoadingJson] = useState(false)
@@ -164,7 +168,9 @@ const PostTextarea = forwardRef<
           },
           onUploadEnd: (file) => onUploadEnd?.(file),
           onUploadProgress: (file, p) => onUploadProgress?.(file, p),
-          onUploadSuccess: (result) => onUploadSuccessRef.current?.(result)
+          onUploadSuccess: (result) => onUploadSuccessRef.current?.(result),
+          onUploadCompressPhase: (file, phase) =>
+            onUploadCompressPhaseRef.current?.(file, phase)
         })
       ],
       editorProps: {
diff --git a/src/components/PostEditor/Uploader.tsx b/src/components/PostEditor/Uploader.tsx
index 5629d4e1..9c6fbabd 100644
--- a/src/components/PostEditor/Uploader.tsx
+++ b/src/components/PostEditor/Uploader.tsx
@@ -7,8 +7,9 @@ export default function Uploader({
   children,
   onUploadSuccess,
   onUploadStart,
-  onUploadEnd,
-  onProgress,
+      onUploadEnd,
+      onProgress,
+      onUploadCompressPhase,
   className,
   accept = 'image/*',
   maxFileSizeMb
@@ -18,6 +19,8 @@ export default function Uploader({
   onUploadStart?: (file: File, cancel: () => void) => void
   onUploadEnd?: (file: File) => void
   onProgress?: (file: File, progress: number) => void
+  /** After local compression (before network upload). */
+  onUploadCompressPhase?: (file: File, phase: 'compressing' | 'uploading') => void
   className?: string
   accept?: string
   /** Reject files whose size (before compression) exceeds this limit and show a toast. */
@@ -48,7 +51,9 @@ export default function Uploader({
         const abortController = abortControllerMap.get(file)
         const result = await mediaUpload.upload(file, {
           onProgress: (p) => onProgress?.(file, p),
-          signal: abortController?.signal
+          signal: abortController?.signal,
+          onCompressStart: () => onUploadCompressPhase?.(file, 'compressing'),
+          onCompressEnd: () => onUploadCompressPhase?.(file, 'uploading')
         })
         onUploadSuccess({ ...result, file })
         onUploadEnd?.(file)
diff --git a/src/i18n/locales/de.ts b/src/i18n/locales/de.ts
index bcce83a4..e4cadba7 100644
--- a/src/i18n/locales/de.ts
+++ b/src/i18n/locales/de.ts
@@ -1858,6 +1858,8 @@ export default {
     '🔞 NSFW 🔞': '🔞 NSFW 🔞',
     'Choose a suggested topic or type your own. It becomes a normalized tag (e.g. my-topic).':
       'Choose a suggested topic or type your own. It becomes a normalized tag (e.g. my-topic).',
+    'Compressing on your device before upload (large videos can take several minutes)…':
+      'Wird auf deinem Gerät vor dem Upload komprimiert (große Videos können mehrere Minuten dauern)…',
     'Failed to refresh': 'Failed to refresh',
     'Invalid article link.': 'Invalid article link.',
     Likes: 'Likes',
@@ -1874,6 +1876,7 @@ export default {
     'Synthetic event (no author)': 'Synthetic event (no author)',
     'Topic is required': 'Topic is required',
     'Type a topic or pick from the list': 'Type a topic or pick from the list',
+    'Uploading to media server…': 'Wird zum Medienserver hochgeladen…',
     profileEditorRefreshCacheHint: 'profileEditorRefreshCacheHint',
     startupSessionHydrating: 'startupSessionHydrating'
   }
diff --git a/src/i18n/locales/en.ts b/src/i18n/locales/en.ts
index 42ffea36..c839ba1f 100644
--- a/src/i18n/locales/en.ts
+++ b/src/i18n/locales/en.ts
@@ -1930,6 +1930,8 @@ export default {
     '🔞 NSFW 🔞': '🔞 NSFW 🔞',
     'Choose a suggested topic or type your own. It becomes a normalized tag (e.g. my-topic).':
       'Choose a suggested topic or type your own. It becomes a normalized tag (e.g. my-topic).',
+    'Compressing on your device before upload (large videos can take several minutes)…':
+      'Compressing on your device before upload (large videos can take several minutes)…',
     'Failed to refresh': 'Failed to refresh',
     'Invalid article link.': 'Invalid article link.',
     Likes: 'Likes',
@@ -1946,6 +1948,7 @@ export default {
     'Synthetic event (no author)': 'Synthetic event (no author)',
     'Topic is required': 'Topic is required',
     'Type a topic or pick from the list': 'Type a topic or pick from the list',
+    'Uploading to media server…': 'Uploading to media server…',
     profileEditorRefreshCacheHint: 'profileEditorRefreshCacheHint',
     startupSessionHydrating: 'startupSessionHydrating'
   }
diff --git a/src/lib/compress-upload-media.ts b/src/lib/compress-upload-media.ts
index 9ca0ae63..7bf2635b 100644
--- a/src/lib/compress-upload-media.ts
+++ b/src/lib/compress-upload-media.ts
@@ -395,6 +395,8 @@ async function compressVideoToWebm(file: File, signal?: AbortSignal): Promise<Fi
 
           let frames = 0
           const maxFrames = Math.min(Math.ceil(durationSec * 100) + 2000, 500_000)
+          /** Yield to the event loop so React can paint (compression is CPU-heavy). */
+          const YIELD_EVERY_FRAMES = 30
 
           const step = () => {
             if (settled) return
@@ -416,7 +418,11 @@ async function compressVideoToWebm(file: File, signal?: AbortSignal): Promise<Fi
               finish()
               return
             }
-            requestAnimationFrame(step)
+            if (frames % YIELD_EVERY_FRAMES === 0) {
+              setTimeout(() => requestAnimationFrame(step), 0)
+            } else {
+              requestAnimationFrame(step)
+            }
           }
           requestAnimationFrame(step)
         })
diff --git a/src/services/media-upload.service.ts b/src/services/media-upload.service.ts
index 816da393..b316df7a 100644
--- a/src/services/media-upload.service.ts
+++ b/src/services/media-upload.service.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ import storage from './local-storage.service'
 type UploadOptions = {
   onProgress?: (progressPercent: number) => void
   signal?: AbortSignal
+  /** Fires synchronously before client-side compression (images/audio/video). */
+  onCompressStart?: () => void
+  /** Fires after compression finishes (or throws), before the HTTP upload. */
+  onCompressEnd?: () => void
 }
 
 export const UPLOAD_ABORTED_ERROR_MSG = 'Upload aborted'
@@ -34,7 +38,13 @@ class MediaUploadService {
   }
 
   async upload(file: File, options?: UploadOptions) {
-    const toUpload = await compressMediaForUpload(file, { signal: options?.signal })
+    options?.onCompressStart?.()
+    let toUpload: File
+    try {
+      toUpload = await compressMediaForUpload(file, { signal: options?.signal })
+    } finally {
+      options?.onCompressEnd?.()
+    }
 
     try {
       const diag =