How to Send Large Video Files (3 Easy Ways)
You’ve just finished editing and tweaking your video to perfection only to find out that your file is too large to share. Whether getting approval from a client, sharing with a team member, or publishing online, sharing your video can be tricky.
Now that video content is everywhere online, you’d think that more platforms would be optimized for sharing video files. In fact, video traffic is estimated to account for 82% of all consumer internet traffic by 2022. Yet many email platforms are not able to send “large” video files.
Don’t let your video go unseen. Below are three easy ways to send large video files without trimming them or reducing the quality.
What is considered a large video file?
While each platform determines what constitutes a “large” video file, about 2GB is often the cutoff.
The video file size “formula” equals bitrate times duration times compression ratio. As a quick rule of thumb just remember that the higher the resolution and the longer the video, the larger the file. This also means it will take longer to send, or it might make it impossible to share on that platform at all.
How to send large video files: 3 easy methods
Trimming and compressing your video might help to make your video within shareable size limits but can reduce the overall quality of your video. If this isn’t an ideal solution for you, no worries. Below are three surefire ways to bypass email sharing limits and send large video files while retaining their quality.
1. Upload videos to a cloud storage
Using a cloud storage space like Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive to share your video is easy and free. Rather than sharing the video file itself, you simply upload your finished video to their site and once it’s live, you can then share the link with anyone you’d like. Depending on the cloud service, viewers may either watch the video within the cloud service or can download the video to their device. While the upload process may take a bit longer up front, once your video is up, it’s easy to share and doesn’t eat up any of your device’s storage space.
If you’ve already created a video and are looking for a cloud-based storage option, here are four different free services to try.
Dropbox
Dropbox keeps your files safe and organized. The Dropbox Basic plan is free and includes 2 GB of storage. If you need extra storage space, there are plenty of paid plans available with varying amounts of storage capacity. No matter what plan you choose, all of the files uploaded cannot exceed your storage space quota. Files uploaded to dropbox.com have a maximum file size of 50 GB but there is no maximum file size for files uploaded via desktop or mobile app.
Once your file is uploaded, all you have to do is copy and paste the link for endless sharing.
Onedrive
OneDrive, Microsoft’s cloud-based storage services, gives you 5GB of storage space for free. They also offer a Standalone plan for $1.99 a month that grants you up to 100 GB of storage for all your video storing and sharing needs. Files can be uploaded via a desktop application or online.
Wetransfer
WeTransfer is another easy-to-use file storage and sharing service. Their free plan allows you to send files of up to 2 GB or you can upgrade to a paid plan to access their unlimited transfer size limit.
Google Drive
While Gmail is constrained by a maximum file size of 25 MB, all Google Drive users receive 15 GB of free storage across Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos. That’s why when you attempt to send a large file via Gmail it automatically generates a Google Drive link. Anyone with a Google account has access to Google Drive but additional storage can also be purchased if needed.
2. Upload videos to a video hosting site
Looking for another way to let your video live on the web so you don’t have to worry about email? Video hosting sites like YouTube, Dailymotion, and our very own Animoto provide an easy and secure way to host your videos. Here are some of the benefits of each site and how you start sharing your videos.
Animoto
When you create a video with Animoto, it is automatically stored on our server. From the video editor, you can click the “Export” button and then click “Copy Link” to start sharing your video right away. The Professional Plus plan also grants you access to the Commenting feature so you can start collecting time-stamped feedback on your videos without having to sort through email chains or download hefty files.
YouTube
YouTube is one of the most popular destinations to watch and share videos. But if you don’t want your video to be seen by the public just yet, you can upload a private video and use YouTube as a simple video hosting site. One of the downsides to YouTube, however, is that it automatically compresses your videos which may affect the quality. Additionally, it’s not possible to download videos directly from YouTube so you’ll have to keep the original downloaded onto your device. Read more about uploading a private video here.
Dailymotion
Similar to YouTube, Dailymotion is the world's second-largest video-sharing website. When you sign up as a Dailymotion Partner, not only can you view others’ videos, you can upload public, private, and even password-protected videos of your own. The maximum file size for uploads to Dailymotion is 2 GB and 60 minutes. Users are limited to 96 video uploads or 2 hours of video per day.
Sproutvideo
Sproutvideo is a paid video hosting service with perks. Their most basic plan, the Seed plan, includes a whopping 500 GB of storage for your videos. It offers extensive privacy controls to make sure exactly the right people can edit your videos. Although there is no free plan available, the storage capacity makes it worth mentioning.
3. Send a flash drive with your video
Last but not least, one tried-and-true method to share your videos is with an external flash drive. This method is ideal for in-person rather than virtual sharing. All you have to do is plug in your USB flash drive, drag and drop your video into the right file, and safely remove your flash drive. To share it on another device, simply plug it in and open your video file.
How to send a video through email
We’ve all encountered the dreaded pop up that reads “Your file is too large to send.” The above methods are great choices if you don’t need to send your video via email. But, if you want to include a video within your email thread, there are a couple of ways to compress and send your video.
Use a video file compressor
Depending on which program you are using to send your emails, you may encounter the message that your video file is too large. The maximum shareable file size differs between platforms, but usually 20 MB is about the limit. Here’s a quick summary of max file sizes to keep in mind when compressing and sharing your videos:
- Gmail: 25 MB
- Outlook: 20 MB
- iCloud Mail: 20 MB
- Yahoo: 25 MB
- Zoho: 20 MB
Various programs can help you to compress your video into a smaller file size. Remember, this often results in lower video quality. For this reason, you should always keep an original copy of the video to share in full quality on social media, in presentations, etc. Here are some free programs to compress your videos:
Export your video with Animoto at lower resolutions
You can also choose to bypass the compressions stage altogether by exporting your video at a lower resolution! With Animoto, you always have the choice to export at the highest resolution, 1080p, or at standard quality, 720p. If you know you’re sharing via email or looking for simple feedback, exporting at 720p is a good choice. Then, all you have to do is redownload at a higher resolution when you’re ready to start sharing your creations.
How to send large video files from iPhone
Just like email, iPhone has a maximum shareable file size that can prohibit you from sharing large video files. While you cannot send a file larger than 25 MB via iMessage or text, there are some handy built-in features to help you send large files.
iCloud
iCloud stores your photos, files, passwords, and other data in the cloud. It helps to free up storage space on your device and makes large file sharing easy. To send via iCloud, follow these steps: From the Photos app, select the video you would like to share. Tap on the share icon. Scroll down to the option that says “Copy iCloud Link”. If it isn’t already, your video will be uploaded to iCloud. Copy and paste this link in iMessage, email, text, and more to send your download link.
AirDrop
AirDrop is similar to text but it allows you to send large files directly to other devices near you via Bluetooth. This is not a solution for sending to teammates, clients, or collaborators if they are more than 30 feet away from you. To do this, both devices need to be connected to iCloud (AKA, they need to be Apple devices) and have Bluetooth turned on.
- Make sure the recipient is nearby and that AirDrop is enabled in their settings.
- Open the Photos app and select the video you would like to send.
- Tap the share icon.
- Tap the AirDrop icon to see devices nearby. Tap on the name of your desired recipient’s iPhone and send.
Mail Drop
Mail Drop is another method of getting your videos onto the cloud so they can easily be shared. It allows you to send up to 5 GB of content via email. To send a Mail Drop, follow the steps below.
- Select the video you would like to send from the Photos app, then tap the share icon
- Tap the mail icon
- Send your email and wait for the pop-up saying "This attachment may be too large.” Tap "Use Mail Drop" to share the video via iCloud, where the recipient will receive a link to the video that they can download from the cloud.
How to send large video files from Android
Android also prohibits users from sending large files via text message, but there are a couple of work arounds. By using some free apps and websites, you can quickly and easily share your files directly from your device. Here are some of our favorites.
Google Photos
Just like iCloud, Google has its own cloud storage for photos and files. Google Photos is the default storage method for Google Pixel users, but you can also use the Google Photos app from any Android device. Follow these instructions to send your videos from Google Photos.
Sign in to your Google Account. Select the video you would like to share. Tap the share icon. Under "Send in Google Photos," select the people you would like to share with. Tap Send. This will create a conversation thread where you can add additional photos, videos, comments, and likes.
Filemail
Filemail is a free service that allows you to send large files up to 5 GB via email or a secure link. Their free plan allows you to send a max of 5 GB without spending a dime, but there are also large paid plans available. It can be downloaded in the play store or accessed online.
Simply select or upload the video you’d like to share, input the recipients’ emails, write a message, and hit send, or upload and send as a link that the recipient can download.
Send anywhere
Send anywhere is another application that allows you to send large files in a number of different ways. If both the sender and recipient have the app on the iPhone, Android device, or computer, videos can be sent and accessed using a temporary secure access code. But, assuming that the recipient does not have the app, here’s how this can be used.
- Go to the Send anywhere website.
- Upload your video.
- Click “Link” and create a free account.
- Once your account is created, copy and paste the link to literally send anywhere. The link is valid within 48 hours.
Video file sharing made easy
With so many devices, everyone is connected but communication and file sharing can still be a challenge. With Animoto, you can create, download, and share your videos all in one place, with no extra email threads or apps needed. Get started today to make videos for free and send them to any social destination or device you’d like.
Send large video files FAQ
What is the fastest way to send video files?
Animoto is a hassle-free way to create and share videos. With the click of a button, you can share your video via the app, email, or social media. But, if you already created a video outside of Animoto that you need to send, uploading it to a cloud-based server is likely your best and quickest bet!
How to compress video files without losing quality?
There are two types of compression: lossy and lossless. File compression is lossless but it doesn't greatly reduce video file size. To reduce video size without losing quality, try converting it from .mov to .mp4 using an online converter like CloudConvert.
What is the smallest video format with high quality?
The h.264 codec produces an MP4, which typically delivers the best quality with the smallest file size.