Send a large video from your Mac.

To someone with iMessage

Open Messages, pick the conversation, drag the video into the message field and press Return. For a video to your mom, this is usually the easiest way.

By email, with 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 video stays available to download for 30 days. If it won’t send, see Mail Drop not working on your Mac?

By email, with a Drive link

In Gmail, attach the video anyway. If it’s over the limit, Gmail swaps it for a Google Drive link. Check the sharing settings so they can open it. You can also share a link from iCloud Drive. More on this in File too large for Gmail? and How to email a file from your Mac.

To someone in the room

Use AirDrop. In Finder, select the video, click Share, choose AirDrop, then pick their iPhone, iPad or Mac. Both devices need Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on.

Make it smaller

Open the video in QuickTime Player, choose File > Export As, and pick a lower resolution like 720p. Zipping a video barely helps, because it’s already compressed.

Or let Sendoff pick the route

Sendoff is a Mac app that lives in the notch. Drop a 48 MB video for someone you usually email, and if you also reach them by iMessage, it sends it that way 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.