Electronic mail revolutionized the way we communicate.
People were toiling away with telegraphs and morse code before email hit the scene! Suddenly, sending messages became easy and instantaneous. It didn’t take long to catch on.
We’re now sending 269 billion emails every single day.
But the system isn’t perfect! One particular emailing issue continues to cause trouble: Sending large files as attachments.
We’ve all been there. Every now and again you have to forward an enormous attachment to someone. Maybe it’s a video, a sound recording, or a large presentation full of photos.
Either way, it’s a giant file that exceeds the maximum size you’re allowed to send. Unable to attach it, you’re left wondering what to do!
The good news is that sending oversized files is absolutely possible. You just need a few tricks up your sleeve to get it done. Want to learn more?
Read on for 6 top tips on sending oversized email attachments.
1. Know Your Limits
It helps to know what you’re allowed to send in the first place.
That alone can help you avoid some of the trouble involved in this process! There’s nothing worse than waiting 5 minutes for a file to attach, only to be told it’s too big and impossible to do.
Understanding the size limits means you can save yourself the hassle and search for a workaround instead. Here are the sizing guidelines to work to:
A basic rule of thumb is that files shouldn’t be larger than 10mb (though some email systems allow up to 25). Likewise, try keeping the body of your message under 100kb. Succeed with both and you’ll tick the boxes of email servers everywhere!
However, keep in mind that any file that’s even close to 10mb will take an age to attach if your internet’s slow. The following tips might be worth considering even if the file is, technically, within the size limits.
2. Compress the File
Compressing your file could be the answer to your problem.
It’s a bit like magic. Send your files through a piece of compression software and they can end up a fraction of the size. With the click of a button, an oversized file can be transformed into one you can send with ease.
There are different ways to do it.
The internet is awash with different converters (that turn pdf to word, and so on) and compressors. Do a quick search of those terms and you’ll soon find what you need.
Alternatively, try compressing your files into a ZIP file on your computer. By right-clicking on the file you can hit hover over ‘Send to’ and then hit ‘Compressed (zipped) folder’. That’ll shrink it down and should, hopefully, allow you to attach the ZIP file to the email.
3. Use a Google Drive Link Instead
Google Drive offers another top solution to the problem.
Assuming you use Google, you can simply upload the oversized file into your Drive. Once it’s in there you can share the rights to view it via a handy link.
It’s all nice and easy! Upload the file (this may take some time depending on your internet speed and the size of the file) and then right-click on it. See where it says ‘Share’?
Tap that.
This will bring the up ‘Share with others’ window. Next, hit the ‘Get shareable link’ button in the top right-hand corner. You now have a link to the file that you can copy and send to others.
Heads up, if you’re sending a document, then you can change the link to allow editing and/or comments as well.
With the link successfully copied, insert it into an email and send it to the recipient.
4. Use Google Drive (Again!)
There’s another method by which Google Drive can come to the rescue.
However, it does rely on your using Gmail as your email system. Anybody on Outlook, for instance, wouldn’t be able to leverage this tip.
Assuming you use Gmail and have access to Google Drive, though, you’re in for a treat!
This method is super straight-forward. Simply go to your email and try to attach an oversized document (in Google’s case this is 25mb). Gmail will register the fact that it’s too big and automatically starts uploading it to your Drive account.
Even better, the recipient of your email will have automatic access to the file that’s been uploaded.
The link is then inserted straight into the email. Hit send and the job’s done!
5. Use OneDrive Instead
Not a fan of Gmail and use Outlook instead?
Well, there’s good news, OneDrive can be the answer to any oversized file fiasco.
There’s a good chance you’ll be able to attach and send anything up to 25mb anyway (with some reports of an impressive 33mb limit). Anyway, let’s assume you’re sending something even larger.
Outlook essentially does the same thing as Gmail/Google Drive (that we described in the point above). It’ll register the file size and ask if you want to upload it to OneDrive. Allow that to happen and you’ll send the recipient a link to the file.
You decide if they simply view it, or if they can edit as well.
6. Send a Link via iCloud
Are you Apple mad and Use a Mac instead?
Well, the iCloud Mail Drop feature has you sorted.
It’s very straight-forward and follows a similar process to OneDrive and Gmail. Oversized files that you want to attach will be uploaded to iCloud instead. Anybody you’re sending it to gets a link on which to click, or a preview they can view.
FYI, the link you send via iCloud will only be available to use for 30 days.
Remember These Tips on Sending Large Files
Trying to send oversized files via email?
Well, if you’ve never done it before, there’s every chance that you’re struggling with the task. Email’s great in almost every single way, apart from sending large files to people!
Hopefully, though, the tips in this post will help you do it.
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