How to send a file that is too big for email

Why email struggles with big files

Most email systems limit attachment size, and the limit at the receiving end may be smaller than yours. Large attachments also fill up mailboxes, make copies of the file in every inbox they reach, and cannot be taken back once sent.

Share a link instead

With Microsoft 365, save the file in OneDrive or a SharePoint or Teams site, then share a link:

• Choose who the link works for. Specific people is the safest choice. “Anyone with the link” is convenient but works for whoever gets it.
• Choose view or edit. Most of the time, view is enough.
• Set an expiration date for links shared outside the company, where your organization allows it.
• Stop sharing when you are done. You can turn off a link at any time, which you cannot do with an attachment.

In Outlook, attaching a file that is already in OneDrive gives you the option to send it as a link automatically.

What to avoid

• Personal file sharing services that your company does not manage. Once the file is there, the business cannot see or control it.
• Splitting files into many emails to get under the limit.
• Sending sensitive files to “anyone with the link.”