gmail automatically blocks some types of files that can carry viruses, including .exe. even if you need to email a legitimate executable file, gmail just won’t let you attach it to the email. however, if you really need to send an exe file through gmail, there are some solutions. In this post, I will share two easy ways to send executable files via gmail.
method 1: send executable files in gmail using google drive
I’ll start with the simplest option that is simple for both sender and receiver. the problem is that you will have to use an additional service to send the executable file. don’t worry though, we are still using a google service and everything will be done within the gmail interface.
This is what you need to do:
1. compose an email in gmail and click the “insert files using drive” button at the bottom.
2. now go to the “upload” section and click on the “select files from your computer” button to select the exe file on your pc (you can drag and drop too) .
3. then click the “upload” button below and the exe file will be added as a link in the email.
4. click the “send” button and confirm the request. the exe file will be sent via gmail.
whether the recipient of the exe file is a gmail user or not, they will be able to view and download the file without any problem.
note: if the .exe file is inside a folder, the instructions for sending it using google drive are a bit different. see the second method in my article on how to send a folder via gmail to learn how to do it.
Method 2: Change the file extension to send the exe file via gmail
I think the above method is the easiest for both sender and receiver. however, if you don’t want to use it, there is also an alternative. you can trick gmail into thinking the file is not an executable file and allow you to send it. though keep in mind that both the sender and the receiver will have to make some adjustments for this method to work.
The following instructions are for windows users. Similar instructions apply to Mac OS X and Linux users. all you need to know is how to rename a file on your particular operating system.
1. click on the exe file on your pc and press the f2 key to rename it.
2. now remove the exe part from the end and replace it with a different extension type, like txt.
3. when prompted, click the “yes” button and the file extension will be changed. the new filename should be something like “filename.txt”.
4. now compose an email in gmail and select the renamed file as an attachment. gmail should have no problem attaching it and you can send it safely.
The recipient can download the file as an attachment and rename it to exe similar to how they renamed it to txt. this will make the file executable again without errors or corruption.
note: If you can’t see the file extension while renaming the file, it may be disabled in your operating system. here’s how to enable file extensions on windows and mac os x.
final words
The first method should be your preferred option if you don’t want to create any confusion for the recipient of the exe file. In addition, the first method also allows you to send large files up to 10 GB. Of course, if you don’t want to upload a file to your google drive, then the second method will surely work for you.
If you have any questions or know of any other ways to send exe files via gmail, please let us know in the comments below.