Email and chat attachment limits
Why your attachment bounced, and what to do about it.
| Service | Limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gmail | 25 MB per email | Larger files are turned into a Google Drive link. |
| Outlook.com | 20 MB per email | Larger files can be shared through OneDrive. |
| Yahoo Mail | 25 MB per email | |
| iCloud Mail | 20 MB per email | Mail Drop can send up to 5 GB as a download link. |
| Proton Mail | 25 MB per email | |
| 2 GB per file | Videos shared as media are compressed. | |
| Telegram | 2 GB per file | 4 GB with Telegram Premium. |
| Slack (free plan) | 1 GB per file |
Providers change these limits from time to time. Check their help pages for the current number.
Why are email limits so small?
Email encodes attachments into text, which makes them about a third bigger on the way. Providers cap the size so mailboxes and servers do not fill up. A 20 MB limit really means a file of around 15 MB.
What to do with a file that is too big
Upload it and send a download link instead of the file itself. With LargeFileSend you can send up to 5 GB for free without an account, and up to 300 GB for a small one-time fee. The recipient just clicks the link.
Need to send a big file?
Free up to 5 GB, no account. Up to 300 GB for a small one-time fee.
Send a file