How to Send Large Files Through Email (the Easy Way Around Attachment Limits)
Email was never built to carry big files. The moment your attachment passes about 25MB it bounces, gets stripped, or simply will not send. The fix is not to compress it into oblivion or split it into parts: it is to send a link instead of the file. This guide shows the fastest free way to do that, including for large video files.
Why email rejects large files
Every email provider caps attachment size. Gmail allows about 25MB to send, Outlook around 20MB, Yahoo about 25MB, and most company mail servers are even stricter. The limit counts the encoded size, which is roughly a third larger than the file on disk, so a 20MB file can already be over the line.
That is why a single phone video, a design export, or a folder of photos almost never sends as an attachment. The email either bounces back or silently strips the file, and the person on the other end gets nothing.
The simple fix: send a link, not the file
Instead of attaching the file, upload it once to a host and paste the link into your email. The email now only has to carry a short URL, so the attachment limit no longer applies, no matter how big the file is. The recipient clicks the link and downloads or previews the file directly.
This works in Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail, and every other client, because you are sending plain text, not a 2GB attachment. It is also faster for the recipient, who can start the download immediately instead of waiting for a huge attachment to sync.
How to do it free with SAVEDLY
On SAVEDLY there is no account and no size limit. Open the site, drag your file in, and copy the link it gives you. Paste that link into your email and send. The whole thing takes a few seconds, and the recipient opens the file in their browser with one click.
If the file is private, you can add a password before sharing, and every upload is virus-scanned so the person receiving it is protected too. Videos and images even preview inline on the link, so your recipient can watch or view without downloading anything first.
Sending large video files through email
Video is the worst offender, because even a short clip is easily hundreds of megabytes. Worse, the few apps that do accept video usually compress it, so your sharp recording arrives blurry. A link avoids both problems: the original file stays full quality and there is no size cap.
Upload the video to SAVEDLY, copy the link, and paste it into your email. The recipient gets the full-resolution video, playable straight from the link, with none of the compression that email or chat apps force on it.
What about Google Drive or WeTransfer?
Google Drive and WeTransfer also work by sending a link, so they solve the size problem too. The trade-off is friction: Drive expects everyone to be in the Google ecosystem and can prompt for access permissions, while WeTransfer links expire after a few days and the free tier caps each transfer.
If you just want to hand someone one big file fast, with no account, no expiry surprise, and no permission dance, a no-signup host like SAVEDLY is the lighter option. Pick whichever fits, but the core trick is always the same: share a link, never the raw attachment.
Ready to share something?
Upload a file freeFrequently asked questions
How do I email a file larger than 25MB?
You cannot attach it directly, because 25MB is Gmail's limit and most providers are similar. Upload the file to a host like SAVEDLY, copy the link, and paste that link into your email instead. The size limit no longer applies because the email only carries a short URL.
How do I send a large video file through email?
Do not attach it, since video files are large and email compresses or rejects them. Upload the video to SAVEDLY, copy the link, and paste it into your email. The recipient gets the full-quality video, playable straight from the link, with no size cap.
How can I send large files through email for free?
Use a free no-account host. Upload the file to SAVEDLY, copy the link, and email the link. It is free, there is no size limit, and the recipient downloads or previews the file in their browser with one click.
Why does my email say the attachment is too large?
Your file is over the provider's attachment limit, usually about 20-25MB counting the encoded size. Rather than compressing or splitting it, upload it to SAVEDLY and email the link instead, which sidesteps the limit entirely.
Will the recipient need an account to open the link?
No. With SAVEDLY the recipient just clicks the link and the file opens or downloads in their browser, no account or app required on either side.