File size limits
Gmail attachment size limit: 25 MB, and how to send more
A personal Gmail account can send 25 MB of attachments on one email. Over that, Gmail swaps the file for a Google Drive link. To send something bigger on your own terms, upload it here and paste a link instead.
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The Gmail attachment size limit is 25 MB for a personal account, counting every attachment on the email together. Over 25 MB, Gmail removes the attachment and adds it to the email as a Google Drive link instead. On work and school accounts, the Google Workspace administrator sets the sending and receiving limits.
What happens when a Gmail attachment is over 25 MB
Gmail does not bounce the email. When the attachments on a message add up to more than 25 MB, Gmail removes them and puts a Google Drive link in the email in their place, so the file goes to your Drive first.
That file then counts toward your Google storage, which is shared across Drive, Photos and Gmail. If the storage is full, Gmail cannot send or receive attachments at all, as the same help page explains.
Several small files can trip the limit together: 25 MB is the total for the email, so three 10 MB files are already over it.
What Gmail suggests: a Google Drive link
Google's own advice for big files, such as videos, is to share them from Google Drive. That works well when both sides use Google accounts. The trade-off is that the file sits in your Drive and uses your storage, and the sharing settings on that Drive file decide who can open it.
Send a bigger file through Gmail
A file over 25 MB, sent as a link in three steps
The file goes to FileSeen once; the Gmail message carries only a short address.
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Step 1
Upload the file
Drop it on the box above. Anything up to 95 MB, except video.
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Step 2
Confirm your email
Type the 6-digit code FileSeen sends you. It keeps the service free of abuse.
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Step 3
Paste the link into Gmail
Write the message as usual and paste the link where the file would have gone.
Send a file over 25 MB with Gmail: share a link instead
Upload the file in the box at the top of this page and FileSeen gives you a short link. Paste it into your Gmail message where the attachment would have gone. One file can be up to 95 MB, and it is kept exactly as you made it.
- Nothing to install for the reader. The link opens in any browser on a phone or a computer, with no account and no app.
- You know when it is read. You get an email every time it is opened, and the link's stats page shows each open, the country and the reading time.
- You stay in control. Add a password or an expiry date, or delete the link, and it stops working for everyone at once.
The free plan has every feature on 3 links, with no time limit. Video files cannot be uploaded.
How the Gmail limit compares
| App | Limit | Applies to | Source and date checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gmail | 25 MB | Sending, all attachments on one email together, personal accounts | Gmail Help, 21 October 2026 |
| Outlook | 25 MB | Sending attachments from an Outlook.com account | Microsoft Support, 22 October 2026 |
| Google Drive | 5 TB | Storing one file in Drive, file types other than Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Sites and Vids | Drive Help, 23 October 2026 |
| FileSeen link | 95 MB per file | Any file except video; the message carries only the link | FileSeen features page |
FAQ
Gmail file size questions
What is the Gmail attachment size limit?
25 MB per email on a personal Gmail account. The limit covers all the attachments on the message together, not each file on its own.
What happens if I attach a file bigger than 25 MB in Gmail?
Gmail removes the attachment and adds it as a Google Drive link in the email instead. The file is stored in your Drive and counts toward your Google storage.
Is the limit different on a work or school Gmail account?
It can be. On Google Workspace accounts, the administrator sets both the sending and the receiving limits for attachments.
How do I send a file larger than 25 MB in Gmail without Google Drive?
Upload it to FileSeen, copy the link and paste it into the email. One file can be up to 95 MB, except video, and the free plan has every feature on 3 links.
Does the person I email need a Google account to open the link?
No. A FileSeen link opens in any browser on a phone or computer, with no account and no app.
Can I see whether the file was opened?
Yes. You get an email every time a FileSeen link is opened, and its stats page lists every open with the country and the reading time.
File size limits