As a popular email service, Gmail allows you to do a lot of things, other than exchange messages as its core service. One of which, you can use Gmail to send files. As you have known, Gmail allows you to add attachments when sending a message. But, the total file size of the attachments can’t be larger than 25 MB.

What if you have to send files larger than 25 MB via Gmail?

The best way you can do is by uploading the files you want to send to a cloud storage service and send the links of the files you want to send. Gmail has made it easy for users to send files larger than 25 MB by integrating its service with Google Drive. If you thorough enough, you will see a Google Drive icon at the bottom side of the message composer of Gmail.

Or, if you are a Dropbox user, you can also attach your Dropbox files on Gmail. Below are three simple ways to send large files via Gmail.

1. By taking advantage of Google Drive

You know, Gmail and Google Drive are owned by the same company, Google. Or more precisely, Alphabet Inc. So, it’s no wonder that the two are integrated each other. You can take advantage the 15 GB free storage capacity offered by Google Drive to send large files via Gmail.

• Login to Gmail and create a message just like you are used to doing.
• At the bottom side of the Gmail message composer, click the Google Drive icon.

• A new pop-up window will open. Select the files you want to attach or upload new ones.

• To attach the files, click one of the available buttons at the bottom-right of the window. Drive link button works for any files stored in Google Drive, including files created using Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, or Forms. Attachment button only works for files that weren’t created using Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, or Forms.

• Click the Insert button and you can send the message to anyone you want to send the large files to.

2. By taking advantage of Dropbox

In addition to Google Drive, you can also take advantage of Dropbox to send large files via Gmail, also as attachments. It’s just, you need to install a Chrome extension first before being able to attach files from Dropbox. The extension is called Dropbox for Gmail. It’s an official Chrome extension developed by Dropbox. At the time of writing, Dropbox hasn’t provided the extension for other browser.

• Visit this page to install the Chrome extension of Dropbox for Gmail. Once installed, you should see a new Dropbox icon at the icon bar of Chrome.
• Login to Gmail and create a new message just like you are used to doing.
• Click the Dropbox icon at the bottom side of Gmail message composer.

• A new pop-up window will appear. Select the files you want to send or upload new ones.

• Click the Choose button and you can send the message to anyone you want to send the files to.

3. Via Box

Haven’t heard about Box?. It’s a cloud storage service just like Dropbox and Google Drive. Not as popular as them, but Box is actually a great service. The free version of this cloud storage service offers more storage capacity than Dropbox. You are given a 5 GB free storage capacity. You can also take advantage of the spacious free storage capacity to send large files via Gmail. It’s just, the method is a bit different to two methods above. Instead of logging in to Gmail, you need to login to your Box account to do it.

• Login to Box and specify the file/folder you want to send. Click the three-dot icon and select Integrations –> Send with Gmail.

• A new pop-up will appear, confirming that you will be taken to a 3rd-party application. Just click OK.

• Enter the email addresses of your recipients and click the Send button.

Tips

If you want to use Box to send your files, it would be great to put together the files you want to send on a single folder.