Video Editing

How to send a large video through email on Outlook, Gmail, Yahoo mail, ZohoMail and iCloud 

Posted July 21, 2021

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You’ve perfected and saved your new video creation and are ready to send the video via email but it says “Sorry. File size too large to attach to email.” All video creators know this dreaded pop-up. It can be frustrating, but we’ve got all the right tips and tricks to help you send large video files via email.

send video via email error

Let’s discuss everything you need to know about file size limits for email providers, attaching a large video through email, and successfully sending the large video via email. Read on as we explore:   

  • How to send a large video through email (5 ways)

  1. Send your video via Dropbox

  2. Save your video with Clipchamp’s low file size option

  3. Compress the file to send via email 

  4. Insert files using Google Drive

  5.  File sharing with Clipchamp Sharepages

  • FAQ1: Why is Google Drive lowering the quality of my videos?

  • FAQ2: What is the fastest free way to share a large video?

  • FAQ3: How to embed a video in an email?

How to send a large video through email (5 ways)

When creators and business owners want to email large video files, it can be unnecessarily challenging. We’re all too familiar with the “error” symbol if we are to send large files. Why? Because you might just be missing vital steps between the video export and attach a file to an email. Previously the first brand touchpoint used to be an outdoor banner, TV ad or even direct mail. Now it can be using online video.

Email large video file size limits

Each email platform requires different file size limits. These restrictions are in place because servers are limited by the number of requests they can make.

  • Outlook file size limits: Upload files to Outlook email must be a maximum of 20 MB in total. 

  • Gmail file size limits: Sending large video files via Gmail must be a maximum size of 25 MB in total.

  • Yahoo mail file size limits: Send up to 25 MB of video via email with Yahoo mail. 

  • Zoho mail file size limits: Send large video files up to 20 MB in total with Zoho mail. 

  • iCloud mail file size limits: Send and receive messages that are up to 20 MB in size with iCloud mail. 

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1. Send your video via Dropbox

File sharing is made easy with Dropbox. They’re the modern workspace designed to reduce busywork life—so you can focus on things that matter. 

All files uploaded to Dropbox can't exceed your storage space quota. There is no file size limit for files uploaded through the desktop or mobile apps, and files uploaded to dropbox.com have a maximum file size of 50 GB.

Upload your video file to Dropbox or save and upload directly from our online video editor. Once your video has been uploaded to Dropbox, all you have to do is log into either Outlook, Gmail, Yahoo mail, Zoho Mail or iCloud. Share the links to the file (copy) to send files to email addresses (paste). It’s as simple as that.

1. Send your video via Dropbox

2. Save your video with Clipchamp’s low file size option

An easy solution to send large video files via email is to export your video in a small file size. 

When exporting with our online video editor, you’re presented with 3 different file size options. Resolution size 480p, 720p and 1080p. For ultimate compression, select 480p (suitable for demo videos) or 720p (suitable for social media). 

To further compress your video file to successfully send via email, select the Draft option under optimization. Your video quality won’t be as crisp and clear as the Quality optimization option, but this feature works best for file sharing. 

2. Save your video with Clipchamp’s low file size option

Now let’s compare two of our smaller saving methods. We saved the same 20-second video in two different formats. 480p Draft versus 720p Quality. It’s evident that our smallest file size saving method won by 17.80 MB and will be suitable to send via any email platform. 

Clipchamp’s different file size option

3. Compress the file to send via email

Just like you would use a PDF splitter to downsize your documents, you can use third-party software to reduce the size of your video. Have you ever thought about using an online tool to compress your large video files?

When you compress, or zip file your videos, it decreases the file size that might be small enough to send within the email size limits. We suggest the HandBrake tool for converting large video files to send via email. 

3. Compress the file to send via email

4. Insert files using Google Drive

When sending an email from your Gmail account, you'll notice a Google Drive logo next to the attachment (paperclip) button. This Google Drive attachment button allows users to insert files up to 25 MB using their Google Drive storage. 

All you have to do is insert your video from Google Drive, then click send. If your file is greater than 25 MB, Gmail automatically adds the Google Drive link to your email instead of including the video as an attachment

4. Insert files using Google Drive

There are many other cloud storage services that you can use to upload your large video files, then share them with email addresses. OneDrive and iCloud are other popular storage clouds that are compatible with emails like Outlook, Yahoo, Zoho mail and iCloud mail. 

Just like Google Drive and Dropbox, all you have to do is upload your large file to a cloud service, then copy the link and paste it into your email address. 

5. File sharing with Clipchamp Sharepages

Are the above suggestions just not making the cut? We’ve got one last recommendation that we think might just be the right solution for you. 

We’ve created a solution to the “file size too big” error. Clipchamp Sharepages are a place to showcase the videos you’ve created in our online video editor with anyone on the internet. It’s fast and completely free. Instead of uploading your large video file to a cloud or compressor, all you need to do is share a link directly after editing. 

5. File sharing with Clipchamp Sharepages

Your Sharepage will look a little something like this. 

Clipchamp Sharepage preview

6. File sharing with flipbooks

Another way to share video with lots of context is by adding it to a digital flipbook. A digital flipbook has pages that can be turned just like a book. It even comes with the real sound of real flipping pages. 

You can add a custom URL from YouTube, Vimeo, or elsewhere to integrate your videos within a flipbook. It's easy to use flipbooks to share multiple videos and provide complementary information about those videos. You can create a flipbook online with tools like Flipsnack.

FAQ1: Why is Google Drive lowering the quality of my videos?

Large video files immediately uploaded to Google Drive will appear to be blurry. This happens because Google Drive displays a lower resolution version of your video while they’re still processing the HD version behind the scenes. 

Don’t panic, your video won’t stay blurry. Once it has finished processing, your video will appear in high resolution again. 

FAQ2: What is the fastest free way to share a large video?

If you have an internet connection, the fastest free way to share large video files will be to save them to online cloud storage. Share your video link with as many people as you like. Just make sure they also have internet access. 

If you’ve edited your video in Clipchamp, share your video via Sharepages. There are also online file-sharing tools like FileWhopper.com which can help you send videos securely without compressing the original quality.

FAQ3: How to embed a video in an email?

Option 1. Turn a section of your video into a GIF, add the GIF into your email then add a hyperlink to the full video in your email newsletter.

Option 2. Copy the video link from a video sharing platform and paste it into an email. A preview of the video should appear. 

Option 3. Take a screenshot of your video, paste the photo into your new email then hyperlink the image to a link of the full video. 

Send large video files hassle-free

Hopefully, you can now confidently email large video files. Give it a go and share your online videos via email today. 

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