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From your Mac

Gmail's attachment limit is 25 MB.

That's for personal Gmail accounts. On a work or school account, your Google Workspace admin sets the limit. Here's what happens when a file is bigger, and what to do from your Mac.

What happens over the limit

If your attachments add up to more than the limit, Gmail removes them and puts a Google Drive link in the email instead. If the people you’re sending to can’t open the file, Gmail asks you to change its sharing settings before you send. With “Anyone with the link,” they don’t need a Google Account to open it.

Other reasons a file won’t attach

  • Executable files, like files ending in .exe, are blocked.
  • Attachments count toward your Google storage, which Drive, Photos and Gmail share. If it’s full, you can’t send or receive attachments.
  • If uploads fail in your browser, try another supported browser, or turn off a browser proxy if you set one up.

Send it from your Mac another way

  • Mail Drop: Apple Mail can send attachments up to 5 GB through iCloud. Turn it on in Mail > Settings > Accounts > Account Information > “Send large attachments with Mail Drop.” The recipient has 30 days to download them. Stuck? See Mail Drop not working on Mac.
  • iMessage: drag the file into a conversation in Messages. See Send a file by iMessage.
  • AirDrop: for someone in the same room.

For a step-by-step version, see File too large for Gmail? For video, see Send a large video from your Mac.

Let Sendoff check the size for you

Sendoff is a Mac app that lives in the notch. It checks the file before you send. Drop a 48 MB video for your teammate, and if you usually email them but also reach them by iMessage, it goes by iMessage instead, with a note saying why. Drop it, pick the person, press Send off.

Join the waitlist below, and tick the beta box if you want to test it first.