Imagine that. You’ve just edited a video or recorded a podcast and want to share the file with someone.
Email is probably your first port of call, but providers are very strict when it comes to attachment size limits. It’s only 20MB for Outlook or 25MB for Gmail and Yahoo. That’s not good enough for large files—even a few full-resolution photos will get you over that mark.
Then there are messaging apps, but the situation here is only slightly better. WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Signal do not allow you to send files larger than 100MB.
So what should you do? Here are four easy ways to safely and securely move a file from File Explorer to someone else’s computer. We’re using Windows 11 for the purposes of this tutorial, but all of the following methods will work on Windows 10 as well.
Tip: Connect to a VPN first
A VPN is certainly not necessary to share large files, but it could greatly improve the experience. This is because some ISPs limit bandwidth during uploads and can slow down file transfers.
When you use a VPN, the type of file you upload cannot be recognized, which means there will be no speed restrictions. Note, however, that some VPNs still affect connection speeds slightly.
You can find some great options in our best VPN table, with NordVPN currently at the top of the list.
Zip and unzip
In an ideal world, you would want to keep using your favorite email provider or messaging app. Zipping files allows you to do this by compressing them down to a fraction of their original size. Once downloaded, the recipient just needs to extract the files and they will work as usual.
To compress files in Windows:
- Open File Explorer and select all the files you want to send
- Right-click and select “Compress into ZIP file”. Depending on the total size of the files, this may take a while
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
- Upon completion, a new folder will be created with a zip icon. Give it a name of your choice and press Enter
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
- Send it to the recipient and attach it like any other file
However, this does not work for all files. As you can see in the screenshot below, the zipped file is still almost 300MB in size – way too big for email. In this situation, you need to look for alternatives.
Use a third-party website
Fortunately, there are many websites that allow you to send large files for free. WeTransfer is the most popular, although you’ll have to pay $120/€120 for anything over 2GB (up to 200GB).
FileTransfer.io has a more generous 6GB maximum, while Send Anywhere and Smash have no limits at all.
smashed
Use a cloud storage service
If you already have an account with a cloud storage service, it makes sense to use that to send large files.
Provided you have enough capacity to upload, there is no size limit on files that can be shared via Google Drive or OneDrive. They can be shared with specific users, or you can create a unique link to share with anyone you want access to.
The latter is also available through Dropbox, although you can’t send files larger than 100GB unless you buy an add-on. Still, this will be enough for most people.
Use telegram
If you regularly send large files to friends and family, it might be time to rethink your messaging app. WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Signal are all very limited in this regard, but Telegram is the exception.
With the latter, you can upload and send files up to 2 GB in size, as well as store them in the Telegram Cloud for free. If that’s not enough, signing up for Telegram Premium ($4.99/£4.99 per month) increases that limit to 4GB.
Additionally, you don’t have to make it your primary messaging app if you don’t want to. A mobile phone number is required to sign up, but it can then be used as a standalone service on Windows, macOS, Linux, and even the web.
Use an external storage device
The final option is one you may not have considered, and it only works when the recipient is nearby. Transferring the files to a USB flash drive or external hard drive is an easy way to move them to someone else’s device.
If this is an option for you, look for something with high read and write speeds, e.g. B. an SSD. This ensures that the files are transferred as quickly as possible.