Tips For Sharing Large Files

We all know that frustrating feeling: you finish a design or video project, and you try sharing it with another person – only to be told “file size too large.” With remote work becoming the new normal, file sharing has become more critical than ever. Sadly, most email providers allow only the sharing of small files, and that can be very limiting, particularly for people who work with large files. For instance, Gmail allows users to attach files of not more than 25 MB. But not to worry, here are some proven tips to help you share larger files with ease.

Compress the Files

Some files may be unnecessarily large, and you are better off reducing their size. First, save the file in a format that doesn’t use unnecessary space. Thankfully, both operating systems – Windows and Mac – have options for creating compressed files. For Windows, follow these steps:

• Select the file you want to compress
• Right-click on the file and click “send to”
• Choose the compressed (zipped) folder

Alternatively, you can use file compressor tools such as WinZip, WinRar, and 7-Zip. While compressing files is a great way to send large files without hassle, it still has its challenges. For example, a compressed file may not have the same quality as the original file.

Look for File Sharing Alternatives

Even though email is still one of the most common ways to send and receive files, there are other alternatives when you are sending large files. For instance, one increasingly popular ways to send large files is through eFax. This online faxing medium allows users to share large files, including presentations, high-resolution images, and videos with up to 20 recipients at a time.

Alternatively, if the person you are sharing the file with is nearby, all you need is a USB flash drive. This method reduces the risk of files being lost, intercepted, or corrupted during an online transfer. Typically, a USB flash drive ranges from 2 GB to 2 TB that allows you to share all kinds of files easily and conveniently.

Use Cloud Storage

Thanks to the advent of cloud computing, you can easily upload large files to online storage systems and then simply give your recipient access to them. Google Drive is one of the most popular cloud storage options out there. All you need is a Gmail account, and you receive 15 GB of free storage. When you are sending emails with attachments of more than 25 MB, the attachments will be converted to a Google Drive link. Other effective cloud storage options include Dropbox, OneDrive, Cloud, MediaFire, among others. Explore these options and find the one that works best for you.

Use a VPN

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is used to keep web activities confidential, mainly when using public wifi connections. However, VPNs are also useful when transferring large files. Many internet service providers place limits on the size of files you can upload by monitoring and restricting upload bandwidth. But with a VPN, ISP’s find it hard to determine the contents of your web traffic. Thus, the ISP may not know what file size you are transmitting.

However, VPNs are not a foolproof way of sending files. Your connection strength may reduce drastically, and there is no guarantee that your files will not be damaged in the transfer. So, you may be better off using some of the other means outlined in this article.