5 Smart Ways to Send Large Files Via Email

If you want to email a large file, you’re in the perfect place.When you need to transfer a large file over email, it might be frustrating to get a pop-up that informs you that your files are too large. Surprisingly, most email servers cannot send or receive files exceeding a specified size.

Additionally, sending an attachment through the sender’s email server does not guarantee that the recipient’s email can receive it. How do you ensure you send an email attachment and your receiver can open it? Continue reading to learn how to transfer large files over email.

You must ensure you know the size of your email attachments before sending them. Each email service provider has different size restrictions. The file size is displayed with the file name by most email systems.

If you are attaching many files, you should keep track of the total size of your attachments. If the file size is displayed in Kilobytes rather than Megabytes, realize that there are 1024 kilobytes in one megabyte.

In this article, we’ll show you five simple ways to transfer large files via email.

Size Counts

How big a file can you transfer before it gets rejected? The email platform you use will determine everything.

Message size restrictions for:

• 25 MB for Gmail
• 25 MB for Ymail
• About 20 MB for Outlook (using regular internet email, although your company may set Exchange-level size limits

Typically, if your file is more than 20 MB, you will need to take action.

Use integrated Cloud-Based Storage Service.

People can use cloud services to deliver large files over email.

All you need to do is upload the file to your cloud storage and include a link to it in your email.

Some email providers make the process even simpler by integrating a cloud service.

The recipient can see or download the file from the cloud by clicking on the link.

Adopting integrated cloud-based services includes faster transfer, document security, and no storage limits.

Furthermore, transferring a file via the Cloud-Based Storage Service can be more secure and convenient than utilizing a USB.

If it seems complicated, once you get the hang of it, it’s simple. Here’s how to use cloud-based storage services to send large attachments.

1- Google Drive

Google Drive lets you send attachments up to 25MB and receive files up to 50MB. If you need to transfer a large file, you can upload it to Google Drive and share the link via email. Just follow these basic instructions.

1. Click Compose on your Gmail account.
2. Click the Google Drive button at the bottom of the compose box.
3. To attach files, click the Google Drive icon. The Insert files from the Google Drive dialog box appears.
4. Choose the files that you want to attach. Choose how you wish to send the file at the bottom of the page.
5. Drive links to work for any files in Drive, including those created using Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, or Forms. Attachment only applies to files not created with Docs, Sheets, or Slides.
6. Then press the Insert button.

It’s essential to ensure the receiver has access to the file before sending it over email, so take the time to set the permissions. Before sending a message, Gmail verifies that the receiver has the necessary permissions to view the attachment and asks if you want to change the file’s sharing settings.

The attachment link has now been added to your inbox.

Pros

• File sharing is simple, and many built-in tools make it simple to collaborate with others on your files.
• Files are secure until they are shared with the intended recipients.
• Your files are accessible from any location.

Cons

• If you need to share many large files to Google Drive, you may be frustrated by the upload limits Google Drive imposes.
• When sharing files without password protection, there is a potential security risk.

2- OneDrive for Outlook

Outlook is the primary email service for many businesses. OneDrive is a great way to send large files via email with Outlook. Attachments in Outlook are limited to 33MB. Make sure to save your file to One Drive first before sharing it.

Here’s how to send your OneDrive file via email.

1. Log in to your OneDrive account first.
2. Right-click the file you would like to share. Choose Share from the drop-down menu.
3. In the pop-up box, type the email addresses of the people you want to share the file with and change the permissions you want to assign to the file. This method automatically generates an email with a link to the large file.

Instead of manually entering the recipients’ emails to auto-invite them, you can generate a link from the copy link button at the bottom left of the pop-up to use in your custom email. Copy and paste the link into a new email in Outlook.

Pros

• OneDrive allows you to store any file and has a user-friendly interface that simplifies sending large files via email.
• Microsoft is a well-established company, so you can be confident that they are decent, dependable, and trustworthy.

Cons

• You can only store up to 5GB of data for free on OneDrive; additional storage costs money.
• OneDrive users should be concerned about security.
• It only encrypts data in transit, not data that is already in place.
• User permissions can enable people to make unwanted changes to documents.

3- Dropbox

If you use Dropbox, you can use the Dropbox for Gmail add-on to send, preview, and share files and links without leaving your Gmail window. The Dropbox icon is added to the compose window by the extension.

1. Select the file from your Dropbox account by clicking the Dropbox icon.
2. Instead of a file, a link is attached to the email message.
3. Every Dropbox link shared in an email is given to the recipient with rich previews.
4. You can use these links to download files directly from Gmail or add them to your Dropbox, just like attachments. 

Pros

• A safe platform that assists you in properly backing up your data.
• Allows users to access various copies of data whenever and wherever they choose.
• Offline access to files through Dropbox Transfer is also possible.

Cons

• Users have access to a limited amount of storage space.

4- iCloud Mail Drop

With an iCloud account, you can utilize Mail Drop to send huge files up to 5GB via iCloud. When you use Mail Drop, the files are secured and available for download to the receiver within 30 days.

1. First, make sure Mail Drop is enabled in your Apple Mail account.
2. Launch Apple Mail on your Mac and click Preferences from the Mail menu.
3. Choose the account you wish to enable Mail Drop under the Accounts tab.
4. Select the Send large attachments using the Mail Drop checkbox.
5. Create a new email in Apple Mail and position the text cursor where you want it.
6. Go to File, then Attach Files. Choose the file you want to attach and press the Choose File button.

If your attachment is too large, Apple Mail will automatically upload it to the iCloud service for your recipient.

Pros

• The attachment is saved to iCloud and contains a secure link.
• The attachment does not consume your iCloud storage space and is stored in the cloud for 30 days.

Cons

• Because Mail Drop has a 5GB limit, anything larger will fail using this method.
• Some attachments are incompatible with other operating systems, such as Windows.

5- Transfer4All

Transfer4all is an online file-sharing and collaboration company that aims to provide the world with a comprehensive and simple solution for managing their digital information online and on the go. Transfer4all provides limitless downloads, resumed downloads, zero wait times, and more.

Transfer4All is simple and provides two alternatives for sending large files online. You can send it directly or by creating a link and sending it through your preferred email platform.

1. Go to the Transfer4All website and click the Add Files button to pick the files you want to send.
2. To send it as an email, go to the Send Mail option and create an email with your email address.
3. To utilize your primary email server, click the “Generate a link” option and enter your email address.
4. You can customize the email with the protection password and the expiration date.

Features

• Transfer-exchange and deliver big files.
• A fast and free app to make it easy to send big files.
• Simplify file transfer tasks, save time, and improve communications.
• Secure transfer platform with zero trust network security.
• Encrypted cloud storage with high-level data encryption.
• Hybrid cloud at maxi speed.
• Cloud file sync to keep files up to date across all devices.
• Transfer4all’s data is safe. CCPA and GPDR aligned.

Conclusion

These are some excellent methods for sending huge files via email. You should always use secure specialist cloud and transfer services. Security is one of the most crucial considerations when sending or receiving huge attachments.

Always open attachments from people you know and trust, and only if they arrive through one of the secure methods listed above.