This tutorial is a stepwise explanation of different useful methods to Transfer, Share, Email, or Send Large Files:
You’ve just finished a major project and have to send it immediately to a client that is sitting somewhere in another part of the country. You attach the file to your email and are ready to hit the send button, which is exactly when you realize you can’t send it because the file is too large.
If this is an issue you’ve faced before, then fret not, as you are not alone.
Not being able to send large files via email can be frustrating, especially when you are operating on tight deadlines. In fact, most email services that are prominently used around the world don’t allow you to share large files. For instance, Gmail only has a storage capacity of 25 MB per email.
So how do you share a large file over the internet?
Table of Contents:
Send Large Files
Fortunately, there are several methods you can try to successfully transfer large files online.
In this article, we will share a list of these methods that have worked remarkably for us and can work in the same manner for you as well.
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So, without much further ado, let’s look at some of the best ways to send large files.
FAQs on How to Email Large Files
Q #1) Can I send large files using my phone?
Answer: Yes, it is possible to send large files using only your phone. Smartphones today come with sufficient internal memory to hold large files. They also come equipped with provisions to extend the device’s memory with the addition of an external memory card. You can use your phone as a flash drive and transfer files with the help of a USB extension.
On the other hand, almost all file-sharing platforms today have a mobile companion app, which you can use on iOS or Android devices to share data.
Q #2) Can I send large files with a slow connection?
Answer: You can if you don’t mind spending an excruciatingly long time transferring files. It is always advisable to have a good, speedy internet connection if you wish to transfer large files as swiftly as possible. A slow connection can take too long and even disrupt the uploading of a file, forcing you to start the transfer all over again.
Q #3) How can I send large files for free?
Answer: Platforms like OneDrive and Google Drive allow you to send large files for free up to a certain extent. We also have dozens of file-sharing applications that also offer their services for free while putting restrictions on the number of files or how large a file you will be able to send.
Jumpshare, for instance, allows you to send large files up to 250 MB in size without charging a dime.
Q #4) Can I send large files on WhatsApp?
Answer: As of this very moment, WhatsApp allows you to share videos that are 16 MB large and regular files that are 100 MB large. So the answer would be no. The only way you can share large files on WhatsApp is by uploading your files on cloud platforms like Google Drive and sharing the link via the messenger app to the recipient.
Q #5) How big a file can Gmail send?
Answer: You can send files that are 25 MB in size as attachments via Gmail. If your file does end up exceeding the dictated limit, then Gmail will automatically add a Google Drive link to your email instead of sending the file as an attachment.
How to Send Large Files: Methods
Through Email
Although most email services like Gmail and Yahoo possess very limited storage capacity, you can still send large email files by employing any of the following methods.
#1) Using Cloud Storage Services like Google Drive and OneDrive.
You want to learn how to email large files, then look no further than platforms like Google Drive and OneDrive for assistance. These platforms provide free cloud storage space that you can use to send files that you would have otherwise failed to share via traditional email.
Depending on what email service you are using, you can use a corresponding cloud storage platform to transfer your files.
For instance, if you are a Gmail user, then you can use Google Drive to transfer large files. If you are using Outlook, then you can use OneDrive for the same purpose.
Sharing via these platforms is also very simple. The following quick steps on Google Drive will be enough to share large files:
- Upload your file on Google Drive by right-clicking and selecting ‘File Upload“.
- Then, right-click on the uploaded file and select “share”. This will open a small window, prompting you to add people or groups you want to share the file with.
- Add the email address you want to send the file to and hit the ‘Done’ button, as shown below.
Alternatively, you also have the option to send drive links directly when composing your mail. In the opened ‘New Message’ box, you can find the integrated Google drive button right beside the ‘Attachment’ icon. Simply click on it to share the link to any file or folder stored in your drive.
#2) Compress the File
Another way to bypass the limitations of email services is by compressing the size of your file. Compressing will naturally reduce the size of a file, thus making it suitable to be shared via email. Most operating systems today allow you to extract compressed Zip files very easily.
In Windows, you can follow the below quick steps to compress files:
- First, create a folder and copy all the files you want to share via email on it.
- Then, right-click the folder and select ‘Send To’ > ‘Compressed folder’.
- Your compressed file will be zipped and ready for you to share.
If you want to compress multiple folders at once, then we also suggest you try free compressions tools like 7-Zip, WinZip, and Express Zip.
#3) iCloud Mail Drop: Ideal for Apple Mail
You don’t have to do much when sending large mails via Apple Mail or the mail applications on your iOS device. Apple Mail has a limited storage space of 20 MB. So if you are trying to send a file via email that is larger than 20 MB, the app will prompt you to send the file as an attachment using ‘Mail Drop’ instead.
Using iCloud’s Mail Drop
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- Simply attach a file to Apple Mail that is larger than 20 MB
- You will be prompted with an option to use Mail Drop to share the file. Hit the “Use Mail Drop” button.
- The file will now be uploaded to iCloud and a link or preview of the file will be sent to your recipient.
Please note that the link will expire in 30 days.
Transfer Using Third-Party File Sharing Services
Even with all of the methods at your disposal, email might ultimately prove to be an inefficient option to share large files, especially when you know how huge certain files can be. For example, how do you share large video files via email?
Fortunately, we have a plethora of free and paid services that allow you to easily upload and share large files over the internet. Let’s look at a few popular platforms that offer this service and perhaps find a concrete answer to the question – How to send large video files?
When it comes to file-sharing applications, Jumpshare is often heralded as one of the best. You can send files of up to 250 MB in size for free. If you have money to spare, then spending $9 per month on the platform will allow you to upload and share files that are 20 GB in size.
The way Jumpshare works is also very simple. In fact, it is one of the most user-friendly file-sharing tools we’ve encountered.
Recommended Reading => Do you know about MFT Automation Tools?
Follow the steps to share a file via Jumpshare:
- Sign up to create your Jumpshare account.
- Upload or drag and drop the files you want to share to Jumpshare’s dashboard.
- Once uploaded, right-click on the file and select “Share”.
- Type the name or email address of the person you want to send the download link of the file to and hit “send”.
- The recipient will be able to download the file through the link they’ve received.
Jumpshare allows recipients with an account on the platform to preview the images, videos, or audio files they’ve received before they hit download. They can preview files in over 200 different formats.
#2) WeTransfer
With WeTransfer, you can send files that are up to 2 GB in size for absolutely free. You don’t need to open an account or download desktop software to use the app. Instead, you get a simple web-based interface to upload files and share their download links with your recipients. Aside from link generation, WeTransfer also allows you to share files via email.
How to Share Large Files with WeTransfer:
- Visit the WeTransfer Website.
- Hit the “Plus” icon you see on the left side of your screen to upload your file.
- Fill in the details.
- Select between the options “Send Email Transfer” or “Get Transfer Link”.
- Click on “Transfer” to initiate the sharing of files.
With a pro plan that starts at $10, you will get 1 TB of storage capacity and be able to send and receive files that are up to 200 GB in size, which makes the platform ideal to share large video files.
#3) MyAirBridge
MyAirBridge is another easy-to-use free application that allows you to share files up to 20 GB in size without charging a dime. With this tool, you have the option to either send your files via email or share them as a downloadable link. It may not feature the cleanest interface and it is quite slow when it comes to uploading files, but it does get the job done.
How to Send Large Files with MyAirBridge:
- Sign up to create your MyAirBridge account.
- Upload the file you want to share.
- Select between options ‘Send Files via Email’ or ‘Send Files via Link’.
- Hit the send button to transfer the file.
MyAirBridge is ideal for sharing and storing large media files, such as videos, music, and HQ photos. If you have money to spare, then choosing the Enterprise pricing option of $65.99/month will give you 15 TB of storage space and the ability to send files up to 100 GB in size.
#4) Sendy Transfer
Sendy Transfer is a file-sharing tool we would recommend to businesses because of the integrations it supports. The platform works well in combination with applications like Slack and Chatwork and allows you to share files or downloadable links to your recipients directly via the above social apps.
Sendy also works well in sending large video files in no time. You can transfer multiple files at once and share files that are up to 50 GB in size. You also get unlimited storage capacity to securely save and manage all the files you are sharing online.
How to Share Files via Sendy:
- Upload the File to Sendy
- Add the recipient’s email address or Slack details
- Hit Send
=> Visit Sendy Transfer Website
#1) Using a VPN
Sometimes, unbeknownst to you, there are restrictions imposed by your internet service provider that limit you from uploading and sharing large files over the internet. The best way to tackle this problem is to surf the web anonymously with the help of a VPN.
VPN or Virtual Private Network is a tool that encrypts your traffic and keeps your online activity private.
A good VPN, like Express or Nord, can help you bypass the broadband traffic management restrictions that your ISP has imposed. With a VPN on your system, your ISP won’t have any means to recognize the size of your files and restrict their transit. That being said, there are issues with using a VPN.
You might have to tolerate slow internet speed and files transferred might not arrive in their original condition.
#2) Use a Flash Drive
The most convenient way to transfer large files is that USB flash drives provide you with more than enough room to share large files physically with your friends and colleagues. The size of the files you share will depend on the storage capacity of the flash drive you are using. For instance, there are flash drives that range from 4 GB to 16 GB in size.
The type of flash drive you are using will dictate how much content you’ll be able to store and eventually transfer. They too come with their own fair share of problems. For instance, the data stored in these drives isn’t secure, as they aren’t protected by encryptions. There is also the risk of data getting lost if the drive is damaged or stolen.
#3) FTP
Designed specifically for transferring large files, FTP or File Transfer Protocol presents an old-school way of sharing files. It comprises a TCP/IP protocol that facilitates the transfer of files between FTP servers and clients. All you need is an FTP client to start transferring large files using this method.
Despite its glaring security issues, what we like about FTP is its ability to manage files. There is absolutely no restriction to the size of files you can transfer. You have the option to queue transfers or send multiple files altogether without a hassle. For security, you can try using the secure variant of FTP called SFTP, which is a protocol that facilitates the transfer of files through a secure shell (SSH).
#4) Dropbox
Another best way to send large files is by Dropbox. You can send or share almost anything you store in Dropbox and even assign user permissions to determine whether a recipient can edit the shared file or only view it.
The file-sharing is secure and instant when compared with traditional email services. Dropbox is especially great if you want to share work files with your colleagues and collaborate on them online in real-time.
Conclusion
Regardless of how many large files you want to send or how large a file you want to send, there will always be a medium to assist you in your endeavors. All the above methods provide simple solutions to the limitations that your email service providers are bogged down by.
Cloud storage platforms like Google Drive and OneDrive are great options if you want to share large and access them from anywhere in the world. Similarly, apps like WeTransfer and Jumpshare make the sharing of large video and audio files look like a walk in the park.
If you aren’t comfortable sharing large files online, then you can always turn to a simple USB flash drive to get the job done.
Whatever medium you choose to serve your needs, rest easy knowing that sharing large files in today’s day and age is not something to stress about.
Hope this article would have taught you how to email a large file.