Option 1
Compress the file
Reduce the file size below the limit. Works well for images, PDFs, and presentations. See compression tips below.
Reference
Email attachment size limits
Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, Apple Mail, ProtonMail, and more — every major provider in one table. Plus what to do when your file is too large to send.
Last reviewed: April 4, 2026
Quick limits
- Gmail — 25 MB send, 50 MB receive
- Outlook.com — 25 MB total per email
- Yahoo Mail — 25 MB per email
- Apple Mail — 20 MB (5 GB via Mail Drop)
- Corporate Exchange — 10–35 MB (admin-set)
Attachment size limits by email provider
Limits apply to the outgoing message unless noted otherwise. Corporate Exchange limits vary by organization.
| Provider | Send limit | Receive limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gmail | 25 MB | 50 MB | Files over 25 MB auto-convert to a Google Drive link (up to 15 GB via Drive). |
| Outlook.com / Hotmail | 20 MB per attachment / 25 MB total | 25 MB | Multiple attachments are capped at 25 MB combined for the whole email. |
| Yahoo Mail | 25 MB | 25 MB | Large files can be shared via Yahoo's file-sharing link feature instead. |
| Apple Mail / iCloud | 20 MB standard; up to 5 GB via Mail Drop | 20 MB inline | Mail Drop stores files on iCloud servers for 30 days and emails a download link. |
| ProtonMail | 25 MB | 25 MB | End-to-end encrypted. Files over the limit cannot be sent as direct attachments. |
| Zoho Mail | 20 MB | 20 MB | Zoho WorkDrive can be used to share larger files via link. |
| Microsoft 365 / Exchange | 10–35 MB (admin-set) | 10–35 MB (admin-set) | Corporate IT admins configure the exact limit. Default is typically 10–20 MB in most deployments. |
What to do when your file is too large to send
When a file exceeds your provider's limit you have three practical paths: compress the file, use your provider's built-in link feature, or switch to a dedicated file-sharing service.
Option 2
Use your provider's link feature
Gmail auto-converts oversized files to Drive links. Apple Mail offers Mail Drop (5 GB, 30-day expiry). Convenient but generic-looking.
Option 3
Use a file-sharing service
Upload to BulkShare, generate a link, and paste it in your email. Works for files of any size. Links can be branded, password-protected, and tracked.
No attachment limits
Send any file size with BulkShare — free, no sign-up required
Skip the attachment limit entirely. Upload your file, get a shareable link in seconds, and paste it into your email. Free anonymous links last 24 hours. Pro plans add branded custom domains, password protection, download tracking, and no expiry.
- No file size restrictions
- No sign-up needed for a quick share link
- Branded links on your own domain (Pro)
- Password protection and expiry controls (Pro)
- See when clients open and download files (Pro)
File compression tips by type
If compression is the right route for your file, here's the quickest path for each format.
Images (JPEG, PNG, RAW)
Export at 72–96 DPI for screen delivery. Use WebP for additional size savings. For RAW files, export a compressed JPEG proof alongside the full file.
PDFs
Use "Reduce File Size" or "Compress PDF" in Acrobat or Preview. Downsampling embedded images to 150 DPI can cut file size by 60–80%.
Videos (MP4, MOV)
Re-encode to H.264 or H.265 at 720p for review copies. A 4K source at 2 GB often compresses to under 200 MB without noticeable quality loss at review resolution.
Presentation files (PPTX, Keynote)
Use "Compress Media" inside PowerPoint or Keynote. Embedded videos are the most common culprit for oversized deck files.
ZIP / Archive
ZIP or 7z archives rarely compress media files (images and video are already compressed). They are most effective for code, documents, and mixed-format bundles.
Any file type (easiest)
Skip compression entirely. Upload to BulkShare and send a link. Your recipient downloads the original, uncompressed file.
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Client file handoff checklist
A complete checklist for delivering files professionally to clients.
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Feature
Send large files
No size limits, branded links, and download tracking in one place.
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Feature
Secure client file delivery
Password-protected links with expiry and open/download analytics.
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FAQ
Common questions.
Everything about email attachment limits, file size constraints, and how to send large files reliably.
The email will bounce back to your inbox with a delivery failure notice. Some providers (like Gmail) automatically offer to convert the file to a Drive link instead of failing silently. The recipient will never see the email until you either compress the file or use a file-sharing link.
The easiest approach is to upload the file to a file-sharing service and paste the link into your email body. This bypasses the attachment limit entirely and gives the recipient a clean download experience. BulkShare lets you do this in under a minute with no sign-up required for a basic link, or with a branded custom-domain link on Pro.
Yes. BulkShare offers a free anonymous share link — upload your file and share the link without creating an account. The link lasts 24 hours, which is typically long enough for any immediate delivery. For permanent or branded links, a Pro plan is required.
It depends on the provider. Gmail's 25 MB limit applies per email (all attachments combined). Outlook allows up to 20 MB per individual attachment but caps the full email at 25 MB total. Apple Mail applies its limit per message. Always check the per-email total, not just the per-file figure.
Not directly — no major email provider supports 1 GB attachments. You need a file-sharing or cloud storage link. Services like BulkShare, Google Drive, Dropbox, and WeTransfer all support multi-gigabyte files via download links. BulkShare is particularly suited for client delivery because links can be branded, password-protected, and given an expiry date.
Corporate Microsoft Exchange and Google Workspace environments have administrator-set limits that often default to 10–20 MB to protect server storage and prevent accidental data exfiltration. IT departments frequently tighten these limits further. If you regularly hit the limit with business clients, a dedicated file-delivery workflow (rather than email attachments) is the cleaner long-term solution.
No. Email providers do not compress your files before sending. What you upload is what the recipient receives. Any compression must be done on your end before attaching. This is why a 40 MB Keynote deck will always fail to send directly — you need to compress it or switch to a link.