Do you remember the good old days when transferring files over email seemed like a breeze? You would attach a file, hit send, and voila! It would reach its intended recipient in a matter of seconds. But as files have gotten larger and email providers have implemented stricter restrictions, this process has become more complicated. Fear not, as we bring you a comprehensive guide to getting those large files to your recipient’s inbox.
Understanding Email Providers’ Restrictions
Before we dive into the various ways to send large files via email, it’s important to understand the restrictions set by different email providers. Most email clients have a limit on the size of files that can be attached to an email, with Gmail’s limit being 25 MB, while Hotmail and Yahoo Mail’s limit is 10 MB. This means that if you try to attach a file larger than this, you might not be able to send it over email.
Don’t fret, there are workarounds! Here are some ways to send large files over email:
Using Cloud Storage
One of the easiest and most hassle-free ways to send large files over email is by using cloud storage. This involves creating a link to the file hosted on any cloud storage service such as Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, etc. and then sharing that link over email. Here’s how you can do it:
- Upload the file to your preferred cloud storage service.
- Once uploaded, right-click the file and click on “Share” or “Get shareable link.”
- A link will be generated, copy it.
- Compose an email and paste the link into the email body.
- Add a brief description about the file and send it.
While cloud storage makes it easy to share large files, it does require the recipient of the email to have access to the cloud storage service, which could be a problem for some. Moreover, this method has a high dependency on external file storage solutions which may pose a security threat.
Using File Compression
Another way to reduce the size of large files is by compressing them into a ZIP file. This can be easily done on Windows by simply right-clicking a folder or file and selecting “Send to -> Compressed (zipped) folder”. On Mac, simply right-click and select “Compress”. Once the file is compressed, you can attach it to an email and send it.
While this method is relatively simple, it still might pose a challenge as some email providers also limit the total size of an email attachment, which includes compressed files. The solution? Try dividing the large file into multiple ZIP files and sending them separately over email.
Using Transfer Services
Finally, there are various file transfer services like WeTransfer, pCloud Transfer, and Send Anywhere, which allow users to share files up to several GBs in size over email. These services generate a link or code that can be sent over email and used to download the file.
Using transfer services guarantees that the file is safely transferred over and it is not stored on the service provider’s server. In addition, some transfer services offer setting a password or expiration date for the files.
Conclusion
Sending large files over email can be cumbersome! However, with a flexible approach and mindful planning, it is easy to transfer even the largest files to the intended recipients. While there are multiple options available, beware of the potential security threats while sharing files and always choose an option that aligns with your security policies.
In today’s digital era with the ubiquitous presence of online data storage, email providers have a long way to go by increasing the size limit on their attachments. Until then, use the methods above, and keep sharing large files without any fear!