You can use Gmail for everything from composing a message using artificial intelligence (AI) to supercharging with keyboard shortcuts. However, Gmail doesn’t send emails with more than 25MB of attachments. The size limit prevents clutter in your inbox, but it makes sharing large documents and files challenging. You can use Google Drive or a compression tool to bypass Gmail’s attachment size limits. Here’s how to send files over 25MB on Gmail, whether you use a Windows PC or one of the best 5G smartphones.



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How to send a file over 25MB on Gmail using Google Drive

You can’t add a file over 25MB as a Gmail attachment. However, you can share it as a Google Drive link. If you’re sharing a single large file, Gmail uploads it to your Drive and adds a download link to your email. When you share multiple files, uploading them yourself to Google Drive is better. This ensures your files are organized and easily accessible.


How to send large files on the desktop

  1. Open Google Drive on the web.
  2. Click the New button in the upper-left corner of the screen.
  3. To upload files to a new folder, click New folder.
  4. Open the new or existing folder and click the New button.
  5. Select File upload.
    Screenshot showing option to upload new files in Google Drive
  6. Navigate to find where your files are located and select them to upload.
  7. After uploading files to Drive, open your Gmail inbox and compose your email.
  8. Click the GoogleDrive icon at the bottom and select the files to attach.
    Screenshot showing option to compose new email in gmail
  9. Click Insert in the lower-right corner of the screen. Your files are attached to the email as a link. Recipients can download and view the files on their devices.
    Attaching Google Drive file on Gmail

You can also use other cloud storage services, such as OneDrive and Dropbox, to send files larger than 25MB on Gmail.



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How to send large files on a smartphone

We show you how to send a file over 25MB on Gmail using Google Drive on a Samsung phone running Android 14. The steps are similar for other Android phones and iPhones.

  1. Open the Google Drive app on your phone.
  2. Tap the New button in the lower-right corner of the screen.
  3. To upload files to a new folder, tap Folder.
  4. Open the new or existing folder and tap the New button again.
  5. Select Upload.
  6. Navigate to find where your files are located on your phone and select them to upload.
  7. After uploading your files to Drive, open the Gmail app and compose your email.
  8. Click the attachment icon (it looks like a paperclip) at the top and select Insert from Drive.
  9. Select the files you want to send and tap Select to attach them to your email.
  10. Tap the send icon in the upper-right corner to send the email.


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How to send a file over 25MB on Gmail using a compression tool

If you don’t want to send a file as a link, compress it into a ZIP file. A zipped file is smaller than the original folder but contains similar data. Windows, Mac devices, and iPhones come with built-in compression tools. You must download a third-party app on Android to compress files.

How to compress files on a desktop

  1. Select all the files you want to compress.
  2. On Windows, right-click and select Add to archive. On a Mac, right-click one of the files and select Compress. A ZIP file appears with the compressed data.
    Screenshot showing option to compress file on Windows
  3. Open Gmail on the web and compose your email.
  4. Click the Attach files option at the bottom of the window and select the ZIP file. It is attached as a file, not a link. Recipients can download it directly from the email.
    Screenshot showing option to compose new email in gmail

How to compress files on Android

We used the ZArchiver app to zip files on a Samsung phone running Android 14. Steps may vary depending on the app you use.



  1. Open the ZArchiver app.
  2. Long press the file you want to compress.
  3. Tap Compress.
  4. Select Archive format, then tap OK. Your file is compressed.
  5. Open the Gmail app and compose an email.
  6. Click the paperclip icon at the top and select Attach file.
  7. Select the files you want to send and tap Select to attach them to your email.
  8. Tap the send icon in the upper-right corner to send the email.



How to compress files on an iPhone

  1. Open the Files app and choose where your file is saved.
  2. Tap the three-dot icon in the upper-right corner, then tap Select.
  3. Select one or more files.
  4. Tap the three-dot icon in the lower-right corner, then select Compress. Your compressed file is saved as a ZIP file with the same name.
  5. Go to the Gmail app on your iPhone and compose an email.
  6. Click the paperclip icon at the top and select Attach file.
  7. Choose the files you want to send and tap Select to attach them to your email.
  8. Tap the send icon to send the email.


Email large files with ease

The methods discussed above help you send a file over 25MB on Gmail. While you’re at it, learn how to mass delete emails so that your inbox doesn’t get cluttered with junk. Gmail also allows you to create a custom email alias, so you don’t have to reveal your real email to others.