File size limits
Google Drive file size limit: 5 TB per file
Google Drive stores files of up to 5 TB each, so size is rarely what stops you. Files converted to Google Docs, Sheets or Slides have lower caps. To know when a shared document is opened, send it as a FileSeen link.
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The Google Drive file size limit is 5 TB per file for most file types, such as PDFs, images, archives and videos. Files converted to Google formats have lower caps: up to 50 MB for a text document converted to Google Docs, and up to 100 MB for a presentation converted to Google Slides.
What the Google Drive limits cover
Google's help page lists the maximum file sizes Drive will store. It does not describe what happens when a file is over them. For files that are not converted to a Google format, the ceiling is 5 TB, and the page says any file type can be stored in Drive.
The lower caps are for Google's own formats. A text document converted to Google Docs can be up to 50 MB and up to 1.02 million characters. A spreadsheet created in or converted to Google Sheets can hold up to 20 million cells or 100MB. A presentation converted to Google Slides can be up to 100 MB.
One detail catches people out: when an Excel file is converted to Google Sheets, any cell with more than 50,000 characters is removed.
Share a document through Google Drive
A document as a tracked link in three steps
The file goes to FileSeen once; the Google Drive 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 Google Drive
Write the message as usual and paste the link where the file would have gone.
Sharing a document through Google Drive? Send a link you can follow
Google Drive already handles large files, so file size is not the problem FileSeen solves here. What Google Drive does not tell you is whether a document was opened. For a proposal, a report or a deck, upload it in the box at the top of this page and paste the FileSeen link into Google Drive instead of the file.
- 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.
- 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 stay in control. Add a password or an expiry date, or delete the link, and it stops working for everyone at once.
One file can be up to 95 MB, video excepted, so for very large files and videos Google Drive itself is the better tool. The free plan has every feature on 3 links, with no time limit.
How the Google Drive 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
Google Drive file size questions
What is the Google Drive file size limit?
Up to 5 TB per file for most file types, according to Google's help page. Files converted to Google Docs, Sheets or Slides have lower caps.
What is the size limit for Google Docs, Sheets and Slides?
A text document converted to Google Docs can be up to 50 MB. Google Sheets allows up to 20 million cells or 100MB. A presentation converted to Google Slides can be up to 100 MB.
What file types can I store in Google Drive?
Any file type, according to Google's help page. Drive can preview the most common ones, such as PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, image, audio and video files.
Can FileSeen send a file as big as Google Drive can?
No. FileSeen takes one file up to 95 MB and no video uploads. It is for documents you want to share as a link and follow: you get an email every time the link is opened.
Does the reader need an account to open a FileSeen link?
No. A FileSeen link opens in any browser on a phone or computer, with no account and no app.
Can I control who keeps access to the link?
Yes. You can add a password, set an expiry, make the file view-only and delete the link at any time. The free plan has every feature on 3 links, with no time limit.
File size limits