How to Send Large Files: The Complete Guide

Email caps out at 25MB. Cloud storage gets complicated. You just need to send a file. Here are your actual options, from quickest to most secure.

The Quick Answer

For most people: use a file sharing link.

1. Go to filegrab.link
2. Sign in with email or a supported social provider
3. Create and copy a link
4. Drop your file on the link page
5. Send the link

That’s it. Works for files up to 2GB on all plans.

Method 1: File Sharing Services

Services like FileGrab, WeTransfer, and Smash exist specifically for this. You upload a file, get a link, share the link. Recipient clicks and downloads.

Pros:

• Works with any file size (depending on service)
• Recipient doesn’t need an account
• No compression or quality loss
• Links can expire for security

Cons:

• Files live on someone else’s servers
• Free tiers have limits

Best services by limit:

Service	Free Limit	Pro Limit
Smash	Unlimited	Unlimited
SwissTransfer	50GB	50GB
Wormhole	10GB	10GB
SendGB	5GB	5GB
FileGrab	2GB	2GB
WeTransfer	2GB	200GB

FileGrab’s limit is smaller, but you get the link before uploading - useful when you’re on a call and want to share immediately.

Method 2: Cloud Storage Links

Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive - upload the file to your cloud storage and share a link.

Pros:

• You probably already have an account
• Files stay in your storage
• Easy to organize

Cons:

• Eats into your storage quota
• Recipient might need to sign in
• Permissions can be confusing

How to do it:

1. Upload file to Google Drive / Dropbox / OneDrive
2. Right-click > Share > Get link
3. Set permissions (anyone with link can view)
4. Send the link

Method 3: Compression

Sometimes the file itself is the problem. A folder of photos at full resolution takes gigabytes. Compressed, it might be hundreds of megabytes.

ZIP compression:

• Mac: Right-click folder > Compress
• Windows: Right-click > Send to > Compressed folder
• Doesn’t reduce quality, just packs files together

Actual compression (lossy):

• Images: Export at lower resolution or quality
• Videos: Re-encode at lower bitrate
• Reduces file size but loses some quality

Compression works best for folders with many small files. For single large files like videos, it won’t help much.

Method 4: Split the File

Some tools let you split a large file into smaller chunks, send them separately, and rejoin on the other end.

When this makes sense:

• Uploading to services with hard limits
• Unreliable internet that drops large uploads
• When you need to fit under email limits (not recommended)

Tools:

• 7-Zip (Windows/Mac) can split archives
• split command on Mac/Linux

This is more hassle than using a proper file sharing service. Only use it if you have specific constraints.

Method 5: Physical Transfer

Sometimes the fastest way to move data is still a physical drive.

When this makes sense:

• Terabytes of data (faster than any internet)
• No internet access
• Maximum security (no servers involved)

Copy to USB drive, hand it over in person. Simple and often underrated.

Sending Large Videos

Video files are the most common “large file” problem. A 10-minute 4K video can easily hit 5-10GB.

Options:

1. Link sharing (recommended): FileGrab, WeTransfer, etc. No quality loss.

2. Video hosting: YouTube, Vimeo with unlisted links. They’ll re-encode it, which might affect quality.

3. Compression: Re-encode at a lower bitrate using HandBrake or similar. Trade quality for size.

4. Cloud storage: Google Drive, Dropbox. Works but burns through your quota.

For client work or anything where quality matters, avoid re-encoding. Use a file sharing link and send the original.

Sending to Multiple People

Most methods give you a single link that anyone can use. Share that link with everyone who needs it.

With FileGrab: Create one link, send it to multiple people. They can all download. If you enable collaboration, they can also upload.

With cloud storage: Set sharing to “anyone with link” rather than inviting specific emails. Less friction for recipients.

Common Problems

”Upload keeps failing”

Large uploads on spotty connections often fail midway. Solutions:

• Use a service that supports resumable uploads (FileGrab multipart handles this)
• Try a wired connection instead of WiFi
• Upload during off-peak hours

”File is too big for free tier”

Options:

• Pay for a larger tier (usually cheapest long-term)
• Use a service with higher free limits (SwissTransfer: 50GB)
• Compress the file if quality isn’t critical
• Split into multiple links

”Recipient says they can’t download”

Common causes:

• Link expired
• Wrong permissions (need “anyone with link”)
• Recipient’s network blocks file downloads
• File type blocked by their IT

Try: Send a fresh link, confirm they can access other websites normally.

Security Considerations

Large files are often work files - client projects, financial documents, design assets. Consider:

• Expiration: Set links to expire after the recipient downloads
• Passwords: Add password protection for sensitive content
• Encryption: For truly sensitive files, use E2E encryption (FileGrab Pro)
• Visibility: Private links don’t appear in search engines

Don’t use personal cloud storage for client work. Keep professional files separate.

The Bottom Line

For most situations: file sharing link services are the answer. They exist specifically for this problem and handle it well.

Try FileGrab - Get your link immediately, add files as they’re ready.