Email attachments have a size limit — usually 10–25MB depending on the provider — which quickly becomes a problem when you need to send a large video, a folder of photos, a big PDF, or a set of design files. Here are the best free ways to send large files without hitting attachment limits.
WeTransfer (Free, Up to 2GB)
WeTransfer is the simplest option for sending large files to someone quickly without either person needing an account:
- Go to wetransfer.com
- Click + to add files (up to 2GB total on the free plan)
- Enter the recipient’s email address and your email address
- Add a message if needed and click Transfer
The recipient gets an email with a download link. The link is valid for 7 days on the free plan. No account required for either party.
OneDrive (Free, Up to 5GB Storage)
If you use Windows 11, you already have OneDrive. The free tier gives you 5GB of storage, and you can share individual files or folders with a link:
- Open File Explorer and navigate to your OneDrive folder
- Move or copy the file into the OneDrive folder
- Right-click the file and select Share
- Click Copy link — this creates a shareable link you can paste into an email or message
You can set the link to be view-only and optionally add an expiry date. The recipient does not need a Microsoft account to download.
Google Drive (Free, 15GB Storage)
Google Drive’s free tier gives you 15GB — significantly more than OneDrive for free:
- Go to drive.google.com and sign in (free Google account required)
- Click New > File Upload and select your file
- Once uploaded, right-click the file and select Get link
- Change the sharing setting to Anyone with the link if you want anyone to access it
- Copy the link and send it
Dropbox (Free, 2GB Storage)
Dropbox’s free tier is limited to 2GB but is well-known and trusted. Works similarly to Google Drive — upload a file, right-click, get a shareable link.
SharePoint / OneDrive for Business
If your organisation uses Microsoft 365, SharePoint and OneDrive for Business give you 1TB or more of storage. Sharing large files internally via SharePoint is the best option for work files — no size limit on individual files (up to 250GB per file in OneDrive for Business).
For Very Large Files (Over 10GB)
- SFTP / FTP: If you have access to a server, transferring via SFTP using a tool like FileZilla is reliable for very large files
- Physical media: For files in the hundreds of gigabytes, a USB drive sent by post is genuinely faster than most internet connections
- Smash (smash.to): Free transfer service with no size limit — the recipient has 14 days to download
Tips for Large File Transfers
- Compress files into a ZIP first if sending multiple files — easier for the recipient to handle
- For sensitive data, use an encrypted transfer method or password-protect the archive
- Check the recipient’s preferred method — some organisations block external file sharing services
