Gmail attachment size limit: what 25 MB really means
Updated
A personal Gmail account can send up to 25 MB of attachments in one email. The limit is for all attachments together, not for each file, so three 10 MB files are already too much. When you go over it, Gmail doesn’t refuse the message: it removes the attachment and puts a Google Drive link in the email instead.
Work and school accounts on Google Workspace can have different limits, set by the organisation’s administrator.
The limit in detail
- 25 MB per email, in total. Google states the limit for personal accounts as 25 MB. It covers every attachment in the message; there is no separate per-file figure.
- Measured after encoding. Attachments are converted to text for sending, which Google says adds about 37%. In practice, files that add up to more than about 18 MB can push the message over 25 MB.
- No published attachment count. Google doesn’t give a maximum number of attachments for personal accounts; the 25 MB total is the limit you’ll hit. For received mail, Google’s Workspace documentation allows up to 500 attachments in one email.
- Work and school accounts: the administrator sets both the sending and receiving limits. Google’s Workspace documentation lists receiving limits of 50 MB (Enterprise Standard) and 70 MB (Enterprise Plus), measured after encoding.
Sizes in kilobytes: 25 MB is 25,600 KB. If your file manager shows sizes in KB, anything over roughly 18,000 KB of attachments is likely to be too much.
What happens when you go over 25 MB
Gmail uploads the file to your Google Drive and inserts a link. Three things to know before you rely on it:
- The file counts against your Google storage, which is shared with your Gmail messages and Google Photos.
- The recipient needs permission to open it. If they can’t open the link, check the file’s sharing settings in Google Drive.
- It stays in your Drive until you delete it, so remember to remove it if it was a one-off.
Why a smaller file still fails
If Gmail accepted your message but the recipient never got it, their mail server probably rejected it. Every server applies its own limit: a company server set to 10 MB will bounce a 15 MB email that Gmail sent without complaint. Gmail then sends you a delivery failure message. Our overview of email attachment limits by provider lists the common ones.
Ways to send a file bigger than 25 MB from Gmail
- Let Gmail use Drive, if the recipient has a Google account or you’re happy to share the file by link.
- Make it smaller. Zip a folder, export a PDF at reduced size or re-export a video at 1080p. See how to compress files for sharing.
- Send a code instead. Upload up to 500 MB to ShareQuik, then paste the 8-character code into your Gmail message. Nothing is added to your Google storage, and the recipient needs no Google account.
- Use a large-file service for several gigabytes. How to send large files sorts the options by size.
Sending a ShareQuik code in a Gmail message
- Open ShareQuik’s large-file page and add your files (up to 20 files, 500 MB in total).
- Select Generate Code and wait for the upload to finish.
- In Gmail, write something like: “The file is too big to attach. Go to sharequik.com and enter the code BX678095.”
- The recipient enters the code and an email address, then downloads the files. The share expires after 3 days unless you extend it to 15.
Anyone who has the code can open the share, so for confidential files put them in an encrypted archive first and send the password separately.
Compare limits for other email providers: Outlook, iCloud Mail, Exchange and Google Workspace side by side.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Gmail limit per file or per email?
Per email. All attachments in one message together must stay within 25 MB, after encoding.
How many attachments can I send in one Gmail email?
Google doesn’t publish a count for personal accounts. The 25 MB total is what stops you, so many small files are fine and a few large ones are not.
Can I increase Gmail’s attachment limit?
Not on a personal account. For a work or school account, the limit is set by your Google Workspace administrator.
Why did Gmail turn my attachment into a Drive link?
Because the attachments were over 25 MB. Gmail uploads them to your Google Drive and sends a link instead.
What is the largest email I can receive in Gmail?
It depends on the sender’s provider as well as yours. For Workspace accounts, Google documents 50 MB (Enterprise Standard) or 70 MB (Enterprise Plus), including encoding.
Over 25 MB?
Upload up to 500 MB and paste the 8-character code into your Gmail message instead.
Send it with a codeDo it with ShareQuik
- Send large files that are too big for emailSend large files that are too big for email: up to 500 MB, free and with no account. How the limit is counted, and what to do when a file is bigger still.
- How to send files without emailHow to send files without email: share an 8-character code instead of an attachment, or use cloud links and messaging apps, and when each one makes sense.
- How to send large files, by sizeHow to send large files, organised by size: what works under 25 MB, up to 500 MB, a few GB and beyond. Includes free options and when ShareQuik is the right fit.
More from the blog
- Email attachment size limits, and what to do when you hit themHow big can an email be? Attachment limits of the major email services side by side, why a file under the limit still bounces, and what to do when yours is too big.
- Outlook attachment size limit: which number applies to youOutlook’s attachment limit depends on your account and app: 25 MB on Outlook.com, 20 MB in classic Outlook, 10 MB by default on Exchange. Which applies to you.
- How to compress files so they are easier to shareHow to make videos, PDFs, photos and folders smaller before you send them, what each method costs in quality, and when splitting a transfer works better.