Gmail Attachment Size Limit — How to Send Files Larger Than 25MB

Gmail caps email attachments at 25MB. That's smaller than most photos taken on a modern phone, and a fraction of a short 4K video. Here's what the limits are across every email provider — and how to bypass them entirely.

25MB
Gmail's maximum email attachment size

Email Attachment Limits by Provider

Email ProviderAttachment LimitBuilt-in Workaround
Gmail25MBGoogle Drive link (needs Google account)
Outlook / Hotmail20MB (free) / 25MB (M365)OneDrive link
Yahoo Mail25MBDropbox or Drive link
Apple Mail / iCloud20MBMail Drop — files expire in 30 days
ProtonMail25MBNone built-in
Seyfr (P2P, no email)No limitgoes through Iroh peer-to-peer networking — no email needed
⚠️ The cloud workaround problem: When Gmail inserts a Google Drive link, the recipient needs a Google account. If they use Outlook, corporate email, or simply don't have Google — they may be blocked. Drive links also get flagged by corporate firewalls, and your file is stored on Google's servers indefinitely.

How to Send Files Larger Than 25MB Without Cloud

Seyfr is a peer-to-peer file transfer app. Instead of attaching a file to an email, you open Seyfr on your phone, generate a transfer QR code, and the recipient opens it on their device. files move from you to them — no email, no JITPOMI cloud-drive upload, no fixed application transfer cap.

1

Install Seyfr on your phone

Free on Google Play (Android) and the App Store (iPhone). No account required.

2

Open Seyfr — a QR code and URL appear

The QR code is your transfer ticket. Share it with the recipient via text, email, or show it on screen.

3

Recipient scans or opens the URL

They open it in the SEYFR app on their phone, iPad or Android tablet, Mac, Windows PC, or Linux machine. The SEYFR app is required on the receiving device.

4

Select your file — transfer begins instantly

Files transfer at a speed determined by the devices and network path. SEYFR does not intentionally recompress them and has no fixed application transfer-size cap; device, platform, storage, network, and relay limits still apply.

Seyfr vs Google Drive vs WeTransfer

FeatureSeyfrGoogle Drive LinkWeTransfer
File size limitNo fixed app cap*Check current planCheck current plan
File uploaded to cloudNo — directYesYes
Recipient needs accountNoSometimesNo
Files expireNoNoYes — 7 days
encrypted in transitYesNoNo
PriceFreeFree (15GB limit)Free (2GB) / Paid

What Files Commonly Hit the 25MB Limit?

Skip the 25MB Limit Entirely

Send files of many sizes — directly to a supported device — with no email, no JITPOMI cloud drive, no account.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Gmail's attachment size limit?

Gmail's attachment size limit is 25MB. Files larger than 25MB cannot be attached directly — Gmail offers to insert a Google Drive link instead, which requires uploading to Google's servers first.

How do I send a file larger than 25MB in Gmail?

Cloud-storage limits depend on the provider and plan. SEYFR can transfer a large file between supported devices without email, a SEYFR account, or a JITPOMI cloud-drive upload. It has no fixed application cap, but device, storage, platform, network, and relay limits still apply.

What is the email attachment size limit in Outlook?

Outlook.com free accounts have a 20MB limit. Microsoft 365 accounts have a 25MB limit. Both fall far short of modern file sizes like 4K video or RAW photos.

How do I send a large video file without compressing it?

Use Seyfr. It transfers video files at full original quality — no re-encoding, without intentional recompression. A 4K video from your phone arrives on the recipient's device exactly as recorded.

Is there a way to send large files without Google Drive?

Yes — Seyfr. Open Seyfr on your phone, get a QR code, share it with the recipient, and your file transfers using Iroh peer-to-peer networking. No Google account, no Drive, no email, no fixed application transfer cap.