How to Send Large Files Through Gmail (Past the 25 MB Limit)

Gmail can attach files up to 25 MB on a personal account. If your attachments add up to more than that, Gmail automatically removes them and adds them as a Google Drive link in the email. So the way to send a large file through Gmail is to attach it as normal, or insert it from Drive, and let the recipient download it from the link.

The steps below are for Gmail on a computer. If you want the same answer for other email apps, see how to send large files via email.

Your options in Gmail

Limits below come from Google's own help pages and were last checked on October 16, 2026. Google changes them, so open the linked page if the exact number matters.

How to send a large file in Gmail with Google Drive

1. Open Gmail and click Compose.
2. Click Insert files using Drive at the bottom of the message, or click Attach and choose the file from your computer. If the file is over 25 MB, Gmail uploads it to Drive and puts a link in the email.
3. Choose how to send it. With Drive, you pick between a Drive link and an attachment. A Drive link works for any file stored in Drive. An attachment only works for files that were not created in Google Docs, Sheets, Slides or Forms.
4. Fix the sharing settings if Gmail asks. Gmail checks whether your recipients have access to the file and prompts you to change the sharing settings if they do not.
5. Click Send.

Who can open the link

The sharing setting decides who can open the file, so it is worth checking:

• Anyone with the link: recipients do not need a Google Account. You can let them view, comment or edit. If the message is forwarded, the new people get the same permissions.
• Only the email recipients: the file stays private. Recipients will not be able to see it if they have no Google Account, if the address you used is not a Google account, or if they got the message through a mailing list that is not managed through Google Groups.
• Work or school accounts: your admin may restrict which files you can share and who you can share them with.

If Gmail will not send it

Google lists a few causes on its attachment help page:

• "Couldn't send message": one or more files did not upload to Drive. Google names not enough space and a slow internet connection as possible causes. Remove and re-add the attachment, then send again.
• Storage is full: if you reach your storage limit, you cannot send or receive attachments. Delete large attachments and empty trash and spam, or send the file another way.
• Uploads from another device: wait until the upload completes before you send the message.

When Drive is not the right fit

Gmail with Drive works well when you have space in your Google storage and the recipient can open your link. It is a weaker fit in a few cases:

• The file is bigger than the free space left in your Google storage.
• You do not want the file to stay in your Drive after it has been delivered.
• You cannot easily check or change the sharing setting for every recipient.

For those, a transfer link is simpler. Upload the file, copy the link, and paste it into a normal Gmail message.

Send a large file from Gmail with Roceet

Roceet sends large files by link. Drop your file below, add an optional title and message, enter your email, and confirm the 8-digit code we send you. You get a share link to paste into your Gmail message. The person you send it to opens the link and downloads the file. They do not need an account.

What you should know before you send:

• Free: up to 2 GB per transfer. You choose when your link expires, up to 2 days. Free has no monthly cap on how many transfers you send, but it does have a 2 GB storage balance, and space is returned when the files are deleted.
• Ultimate: $16.99 per user per month, up to 200 GB per transfer, with links that last up to 30 days. Choose this if your file is larger than 2 GB.
• Controls: you can protect a transfer with a password and limit how many times it can be downloaded. You choose when the link expires, up to your plan's lifetime, and can extend it any time. Expired links can be restored for 2 days on Free and 7 days on Ultimate.

If the file is under 25 MB, attach it in Gmail. If it is bigger and Drive has room, Gmail's own Drive link is fine. Reach for a Roceet link when the file is large, you do not want to use your Drive storage, or you want the link to stop working on its own.