Having problems with gmail’s attachment limit? If you have a large file to email, gmail restricts you to a 25mb file size limit. but google is not alone in this. most email providers limit the size of your email files (outlook and yahoo have a limit of 20mb and 25mb, respectively).
These limits prevent recipients from overrunning your storage limit every time a large file arrives in your inbox. but that doesn’t mean you can’t send large files through gmail.
Here, we’ll walk you through three different methods, so you won’t be limited in the future.
gmail attachment limit explained
As we’ve already discussed, the maximum file size you can send via gmail is currently 25mb. however, this 25MB limit includes both the file itself and the encrypted copy of the file. so you’re actually looking at a maximum file size of only 12.5mb.
if you send a file larger than 25mb, you will receive an error code.
gmail then automatically uploads the files to google drive and places a link to the drive file in the body of the email.
method 1: save to google drive and send as cloud-based attachment
google drive is essentially google’s cloud-based answer to microsoft office. allows users to share and synchronize documents and data through the cloud and can be accessed from any device as long as there is an internet connection.
step 1. go to google drive and click on my drive
step 2. in the dropdown menu, you can choose to upload files individually or create a new folder for them
step 3. upload the files you want to email to your google drive
step 4. open gmail and compose a new email
step 5. click the drive iconat the bottom of the compose window
step 6. now you can select the file you want to send or search for it using the search bar.
step 7. click insert as unit link and your file will be placed in your email as a link.
method 2: send the file bit by bit
If your file can be divided into small parts, then you might consider sending your file in a sequence of installments via email. however, this method can be time consuming and potentially annoying to your contact(s) on the receiving end, so if you are going to take this approach it is worth warning your recipient(s) first.
That said, word documents that are naturally divided into chapters or sections can lend themselves to this method.
step 1. copy and paste sections of your document into new documents
step 2. save each of these documents in a folder on your computer. make sure you save them in an obviously numerical order so that when it comes down to it, you send them in the correct order.
step 3. login to gmail and open a new email
step 4. attach the first document to the first email, the second document in the sequence to the second email, and so on
further reading: how to attach an email in gmail
method 3: compress your file and send it as a zip file
A good way to get around the file size limit, especially if you’re sending multiple files at once, is to compress the files into a zip folder.
step 1. open the file explorer and find the documents you want to send
step 2. select/highlight the files you need to compress
step 3. right click (for windows) and select send to – compressed (zipped) folderfrom the dropdown menu
step 4. name the folder
step 5. compose a new email in gmail and click the add attachment icon at the bottom of the window
step 6. locate your zip file and click open
step 7. your zipped file will now be attached to your email
When you want to send large files or multiple files via gmail, you run the risk of reaching your 25mb limit. however, you still have options.
By far the easiest way is to use cloud storage, like google drive, to send link-based files to recipients, especially since gmail automatically gives you this option anyway. Other cloud-based storage solutions like Dropbox and OneDrive work in the same way, allowing you to send access to a cloud-based document securely via email.
If you choose not to use the cloud option, you always have the option to zip your files into a zipped folder and send them, or split your files into smaller chunks. just be careful when using these methods as they are a bit clunky in comparison.