How to Send a Video That Is Too Large for Email

So you’ve recorded a video and now you’re wondering: how do I email a video that is too big? You’re not alone. Email providers like Gmail cap attachment sizes — Gmail’s limit is 25MB — which means even a short clip can be too large to send. And if you’re asking “can I send a 6 minute video on Gmail?” or “how do I send a longer video on Gmail?”, the answer is: yes, there is a way and also workarounds.

Here are three reliable options for sending a video that’s too large for email.

Option 1: Compress the Video with a Video Compressor App

One of the quickest fixes is to simply reduce the file size of the video itself using a compression tool. Apps like TinyFile are designed specifically for this — you select your video, and TinyFile intelligently calculates the optimal compression settings and resolution needed to bring the file size down to within email attachment limits, without you having to manually fiddle with bitrates or export settings.

This is ideal if you want to keep everything in one email without sending links. The trade-off is a slight reduction in quality, but a smart compressor like TinyFile minimizes this as much as possible by finding the best balance between size and clarity for your specific video.

How to use TinyFile:

Open Tinyfile and select your video.
Select your target file size or the platform you’re compressing for (e.g., email).
Let TinyFile automatically calculate the right compression settings.
Export the compressed file and attach it to your email as normal.

Compressed video for email example

Instead of attaching the video directly, you can upload it to a cloud storage service and share a link. This works for videos of virtually any length — so if you’ve been wondering how to send a 10 minute long video, this is one of the most straightforward answers.

Using Google Drive

Go to drive.google.com and sign in to your Google account.
Click ”+ New” → “File upload” and select your video.
Once uploaded, right-click the file and select “Share”.
Change the access to “Anyone with the link”, then click “Copy link”.
Paste the link into your email and send.

Using OneDrive

Go to onedrive.live.com and sign in with your Microsoft account.
Click “Upload” and select your video file.
Once uploaded, right-click the file and select “Share”.
Choose “Anyone with the link can view”, then copy the link.
Paste the link into your email and send.

Both services offer generous free storage (15GB on Google Drive, 5GB on OneDrive) and the recipient can view or download the video without needing an account.

Option 3: Use a File Transfer Service Like Smash

If you’d rather not deal with cloud storage accounts, a dedicated file transfer service like Smash is a great option. Smash allows you to send large files — including long videos — with no file size limit on the free plan, and the recipient simply clicks a link to download.

How to use Smash:

Go to fromsmash.com.
Drag and drop your video file onto the upload area.
Enter the recipient’s email address (or just get a shareable link).
Click “Send” — Smash will notify your recipient by email with a download link.
The link is active for 14 days on the free plan.

No account is required to send, making it one of the fastest options when you just need to get a video over to someone quickly.

Which Option Should You Use?

Compress with TinyFile if you want to keep the video as an actual email attachment and the quality loss is acceptable.
Google Drive or OneDrive if you already use Google or Microsoft services and want the video stored long-term in the cloud.
Smash if you want a fast, no-account-needed transfer with no file size limits.

Any of these methods will solve the problem of sending a video that’s too large for email — pick the one that fits your workflow best.