"File too big" on WhatsApp or email? How to send it anyway
By Thavasi · Updated 31 October 2026
You try to attach a video and get "file too big". Email attachments usually stop at about 25 MB, and even WhatsApp, which allows much more, has a limit. Here's what the limits are and how to get the file across anyway, without making it smaller.
The usual limits
| Service | Limit per message or file | What happens with bigger files |
|---|---|---|
| Gmail | 25 MB | Gmail puts the file on Google Drive and sends a link |
| Outlook.com | About 20–25 MB | Offers to share it from OneDrive |
| Yahoo Mail | 25 MB | Offers a cloud link |
| 2 GB per file | Can't be sent | |
| Telegram | 2 GB per file (more with Premium) | Can't be sent |
These limits change from time to time, so check the service's help page if you're close to one.
Option 1: Send it directly, with no size limit
If the other person is nearby, on the same Wi‑Fi or your hotspot, you can skip the limits entirely by sending from your browser:
- Open wifloshare.com and choose the file Any size, any type, even several files at once.
- Send them the code or link Share the 6‑character code, the link, or let them scan the QR code.
- They download it The file goes straight from your device to theirs. Nothing is uploaded, so it's as fast as your Wi‑Fi.
If they're somewhere else, it can still work across networks once one of you sets up a free relay.
Try it now: open wifloshare.com on both devices. It's free, with no sign-up and no size limit.
Open WifloShareOption 2: A cloud link
Upload the file to Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox or iCloud Drive, then send the link by email or WhatsApp. It works across any distance, and the person can download it later. The downsides: you have to wait for the upload, it uses your storage, and the file sits on someone else's server until you delete it.
Option 3: Send it as a document on WhatsApp
If the file is under 2 GB, attach it as a Document instead of from the Gallery. WhatsApp then sends the original file without compressing it, so videos and photos keep their quality.
Option 4: Make it smaller (only if quality doesn't matter)
- Several files: put them in a ZIP. Photos and videos barely shrink, but it turns 50 attachments into one.
- Videos: export at a lower resolution, for example 720p instead of 4K. This makes a big difference, but you lose quality.
- PDFs with images: many PDF tools have a "reduce file size" option.
Which should you use?
- The person is next to you or on the same Wi‑Fi: send it directly. It's fastest and keeps full quality.
- They're far away, under 2 GB: WhatsApp as a document.
- They're far away, over 2 GB: a cloud link, or WifloShare with a relay.