Guides to sending files
Short, honest answers to the questions people ask most about sending and sharing files.
How to send a large file by email
Email attachments stop at 20–25 MB. Here are four ways to send a large file by email anyway: cloud links, compression, splitting, or a free transfer service.
Read guideHow to send files securely
A plain-English guide to sending files securely: what encryption really means, why expiry matters, how to share passwords safely, and mistakes to avoid.
Read guideHow to send a video from iPhone to anyone
Send a video from your iPhone to Android, Windows or anyone else at full quality. Compare AirDrop, Messages, Mail Drop, WhatsApp and a browser transfer.
Read guideWeTransfer file size limits explained
WeTransfer Free sends up to 3 GB per transfer, capped at 10 transfers or 3 GB per 30 days, and links last 3 days. Here is what that means and other options.
Read guideHow long do file transfer links last?
How long do download links last on WeTransfer, Smash, iCloud Mail Drop, Google Drive and Skypost? A quick comparison, and why link expiry helps your privacy.
Read guideHow to send files without an email attachment
Attachments bounce, hit size limits and clog inboxes. Here are simple ways to send files without an email attachment, from 3-word passwords to shared folders.
Read guideEmail attachment size limits: Gmail, Outlook and more
Gmail allows 25 MB, Outlook.com 20 MB and Yahoo 25 MB, but encoding makes the real limit smaller. See each provider's limit and what to do if a file is too big.
Read guideShould you zip files before sending them?
Zipping shrinks documents a lot but barely touches photos, videos and PDFs. Learn when compressing files before sending helps, when it doesn't, and what to do.
Read guide