Email is one of the most widely used channels for sending files, information, and other communication from one person to another. Most messages are tiny—less than 100 kilobytes—but sometimes you must send large files or videos to multiple people.
Managed service providers like 37SOLUTIONS Technology Services offer IMAP and Exchange email hosting with 25 MB attachment limits. That might sound like a lot, but a medium-sized video attachment could easily surpass 25 MB.
Sending large documents, photos, and videos via email fills your mailbox and also uses your recipients’ storage. When your storage space nears the limit, you’ll have to spend hours finding and deleting unimportant emails and attachments just to be able to send emails again.
So, how do you send large files via email without filling up everyone’s storage?
If a single attachment’s file size surpasses 25 MB, you’ll have to find alternatives to emailing large files. We’ll discuss several options for sending large attachments via email below.
Using Integrated Cloud Service
Cloud services can be the easiest option for sending large files via email. For example, if you want to avoid embedding videos into your email, you must upload the necessary files to cloud storage and share the link to the file from within your message.
Some email providers offer integrated cloud service features to share files via links instead of filling your mailbox and using all of your space.
The recipient receives your message, clicks the link, and downloads your file to their local storage. Integrated cloud services provide security, fast transfer speeds, and reduce storage constraints on your mailbox.
Sharing files through cloud services is also safer than shipping USB drives.
Using Collaborative Online Platforms
Collaborative online platforms add additional features to the standard file transfer or ICS offerings. They act as loading docks where you store files and have the recipient pick them up when they’re ready.
Filestage
For instance, Filestage is an online platform that allows users to share videos, images, and documents with stakeholders for review. After you select the files to share, you can add multiple email addresses to the list of people approved to review the files. Each person will get an email alert that they have a new file to review.
It’s always a good idea to let people know they should expect your files so they don’t think it’s a phishing attack. Consider sharing a link to your files in a chat, IM, or text message with a brief comment, so they know it’s legit.
Dropbox
Dropbox is one of the most popular cross-platform file-sharing companies, with more than 700 million registered users as of April 2021. Dropbox acts as a central hub for files that team members can access. Dropbox makes transferring large files, or even large folders, an effortless task.
Using Online File Transfer Tools
Free online file transfer tools are one of the most widely used solutions for sending large attachments via email. These services limit the total size of files you can send at once, but they are straightforward to use.
Use WeTransfer
WeTransfer is a freemium file-sharing service that you can use to send large files (up to 2 GB) directly from their website. Upload your files through WeTransfer’s interface, add the recipient’s email address, and write a brief message to let them know what they’re clicking. Click send, and the recipient will receive an email with a link to download your files.
Their service is free, and you do not need to create an account. They offer upgrades for only $10 per month if you frequently need to send much larger files.
The best aspect of the tool is that neither you nor the recipient needs to create an account.
Additionally, their website’s background images are always entertaining and refreshed regularly.
Compressing Large Files
If you must send large files via email, consider compressing them. This is a bit more advanced than the other solutions, but computer nerds have been doing this for years before cloud services existed.
For instance, you can reduce MP4 file size if you want to send a video file via email or reduce JPEG or JPG file size while sending large images. Compressing a file can make the attachment a fraction of the actual file and is a great option when you wish to send any file under 25 MB directly via email.
Here are some options that you can use to compress large files.
Use 7-Zip
7-Zip is a widely used file compression tool that allows file compression to a tenth of the original size. Installation of this tool is easy, and you can keep compressing files as required.
Use WinZip
WinZip is a paid option, though many people have used the “free trial” for decades. WinZip is a popular cross-platform file-archiving software with encryption, compression, backup, and file sharing. To compress files using WinZip, open the software, select the file, and click “Add to Zip.”
Use WinRAR
WinRAR is another decade-old option used for compressing and decompressing RAR files. I typically used it to open ISO files the most.
Wrapping Up
Sharing large files via email is sometimes the fastest way to send documents, but every file takes up space. Be considerate when transferring large files over email because you’re using both your storage and your recipients. And, if your recipients are all at the same company, their email administrator won’t be happy that you sent 50 MB messages to 100 people.
Cloud services or compression software ensures that your message uses as little space as possible. Consider using paid services if you need larger file sizes or add additional features like collaboration and security.
