Most of the time, people attach images or documents like PDFs to emails. However, there are also use cases and benefits of including video files. A few examples would be sharing clips between devices wirelessly and showing testimonies/explainers when doing marketing campaigns. Luckily, Gmail, the most used email platform worldwide, supports all major file types, including videos. And this article will explain how to send a video through Gmail, so please read on.
Understanding Gmail’s Video Sending Capabilities
Before sending videos in Gmail, it would be best first to understand this feature’s scope and limitations. Doing so helps avoid any confusion along the way, which can save precious time. With that said, Gmail supports the most common video formats, particularly:
- .webm
- .mpeg4
- .3gpp
- .mov
- .avi
- .mpegps
- .wmv
- .flv
- .ogg
In one email, the max file size is only 25MB, which also applies to videos. Whether a message contains one or more clips or even another type of file, Gmail limits the total size of all attachments to 25MB. And in order to include larger videos, one will have to compress them or use the Google Drive linking method (which will be discussed later on).
Depending on the compression standard, a video can be shrunken down from 20% to 200% of its original size. As a result, this can be uploaded a whole lot quicker, saving time and data bandwidth. The recipient can also easily download or view it without much buffering-which is essential for scenarios like avoiding discouraging people from viewing promotional media. But aside from that, the video can be more secure since compression also allows encryption.
On the other hand, if the compressed file is still more than 25MB, the next best solution is Google Drive linking. It simply means uploading a video to Drive first and then pasting that file’s link to the email body or inserting it via Gmail’s Drive shortcut. This cloud storage allows uploading a file up to 5TB, meaning free users can use up to a 15GB video.
Steps to Send a Video Through Gmail
Like sending images and documents, Google’s own email platform makes sending clips effortless. And for those who still need help, this Gmail video attachment guide is a great one to follow:
Step 1. Login to Gmail
Using Gmail requires logging in to a Google account. To do so, go to “accounts.google.com” and input the email as well as the password.
Then open a new tab in the browser and visit “gmail.com” to launch Gmail.
Step 2. Compose a New Email
In the Gmail web app, click the “Compose” button in the top left corner to create a new email.
Step 3. Address the Recipient
Upon seeing the message creation window, please click the “Recipients” field and type the email address of the recipient.
Step 4. Subject and Message
The subject informs the recipient what the message is all about. And a well-constructed one increases the chances of an email getting opened or prioritized. Likewise, adding a brief message allows the recipient to learn the video’s content, intent, and purpose without playing or downloading it first.
Nevertheless, in Gmail, one can add these things by pressing the “Subject” and main input fields and then typing the subject and message.
Step 5. Attach the Video
After typing the details, it’s now time to attach the video. Please note that Gmail only allows up to 25MB of attachment(s) per email, so keep an eye on the video size if Gmail rejects it.
With that said, to attach a video in an email, please click the “Attach files” or paperclip icon at the bottom of the compose window. Then, select the video file from the computer and wait for it to finish uploading.
Step 6. Sending the Email
Once the video file is successfully uploaded, the email can now be dispatched. To do this, simply click the “Send” button in the compose window.
Using Google Drive for Larger Videos
Aside from compression, the best solution to attaching large videos in Gmail is by utilizing Google Drive. This cloud storage allows uploading a file of up to 5TB, which means free users can use up to a 15GB clip. And there are three ways to benefit from this feature, which are the following:
Automatic Google Drive File Uploading by Gmail
In this method, Gmail automatically detects the size of the selected video to attach to an email. If the clip or the total size of all videos is more than 25MB, it will automatically upload them to Drive. After that, one can proceed to send the email with the attachments included. And all uploaded video files can be found on the Drive homepage of that Gmail account.
Upload to Drive and Paste the Link to an Email
Another way to use Drive to send large videos is by manually uploading the file to it. To do this, carefully follow the sequence:
1. In the browser, go to “drive.google.com” to open the Google Drive web app.
2. Click the “New” button, press “File upload” from the pop-up, and then select the video from the computer.
3. After uploading, click the video file to highlight it and then press the “Copy link” or link icon in the toolbar.
4. Go back to Gmail and paste the copied link to the email body. Once done, hit send to dispatch the message.
Directly Attach Video in Gmail from Google Drive
For a faster insertion of Google Drive videos to emails, Gmail allows users to browse Drive files directly from it. In particular, this feature can be accessed by doing these steps:
1. In Gmail, click the Google Drive icon in the compose window.
2. Find and select the video in the file browser and then click the “Insert” button below.
3. If the video is inserted as a “Drive link,” it will appear in the email body as a link preview.
4. However, if the video is inserted as an “Attachment,” it will be uploaded in the email (given it’s not over 25MB).
Troubleshooting Common Issues
While Google has made it easy to email video using Gmail, there can still be errors from time to time. But luckily, there are different ways to solve the issue of not being able to attach videos:
- Choose a clip or videos that don’t exceed 25MB
- Only attach a supported video file format (which are .webm, .mpeg4, .3gpp, .mov, .avi, .mpegps, .wmv, .flv, and .ogg)
- Convert unsupported files to allowed video formats (one can use a web tool like FreeConvert)
- Refresh the Gmail website or log out and then sign in again
- Update or change browsers
- Clear browser cache and cookies
- Disable browser extensions like ad-blockers
- Delete emails or files in Google Drive to free up space for new video attachments (Gmail won’t allow uploading attachments if account storage is full)
Aside from fixing video sending issues, one can also do several things to attach videos in emails a bit smoothly:
- Compress the video file (one can use a tool like Video Candy)
- Close other browser tabs and desktop windows
- Ensure the internet connection is stable and has a solid upload speed
Best Practices for Sending Videos in Gmail
It’s true that Google maintains reliable servers for its email service. However, there are still best practices that users can follow to make the experience of attaching videos even better. And a few Gmail video sending tips can be found below:
- Use Chromium-based browsers (when using the Gmail web app), as they usually work better with Google products than other browsers
- Close other internet bandwidth-hogging programs when sending videos
- Make the file size as small as possible while still keeping the image quality desirable (use tools like FreeConvert and Video Candy)
- Regularly delete opened and unimportant emails from the Inbox to allow as much free space as possible for future Gmail video attachments
- Group various clips in one zip file to make uploading a bit faster and keep the email body tidier
Conclusion
Gmail indeed makes sending video files convenient by supporting most video file formats and keeping the process just a few clicks. And while users can only include up to 25MB of total attachments per email- it’s still possible to go over the limit using compression and Google Drive. All this is to say that Gmail is a fantastic tool that everyone should be fully utilizing. And all of its functionalities (plus new helpful features) can even be more accessible with Boxysuite-the first and only native Gmail macOS app. Supercharge the Mac Gmail experience by trying Boxysuite today!
Additional Resources and References
The links below can be helpful in further utilizing and learning about Gmail’s attachment capabilities and other related topics.
All supported attachment file formats in Gmail
All supported file formats in Google Drive
How to include attachments in Gmail on different devices
How to open and download attachments in Gmail on different devices
Video compressor and converter tools
How to solve can’t attach files in Gmail error
FAQ
Q: How do I send a video through Gmail?
A: To send a video through Gmail, compose your email as you normally would. Click on the attachment icon (paperclip) in the toolbar, then select the video file you want to send. Gmail allows you to attach videos up to 25MB in size.
Q: Can I send large video files through Gmail?
A: If your video file exceeds the 25MB attachment size limit, you can still send it via Gmail by using Google Drive. Upload the video to your Google Drive account, and then insert a link to the video in the body of your email.
Q: How do I send a video through Gmail using Google Drive?
A: To send a video through Gmail using Google Drive, compose your email and click on the Google Drive icon (triangle) in the toolbar. Choose the video file you want to send from your Google Drive account, and Gmail will automatically insert a link to the video in the body of your email.
Q: Can I send videos via Gmail using the Gmail app on my mobile device?
A: Yes, you can send videos via Gmail using the Gmail app on your mobile device. The process is similar to sending videos via Gmail on a computer. Compose your email, click on the attachment icon, and select the video file you want to send from your device’s storage.
Q: Is there a way to send a video link through Gmail?
A: Yes, you can send a video link through Gmail. If the video is already uploaded to a video hosting platform (such as YouTube or Vimeo), simply copy the video’s URL and paste it into the body of your email. The recipient can then click on the link to access the video.
Q: How do I email a video without attaching it?
A: If you want to email a video without attaching it, you can upload the video to a cloud storage service (like Google Drive or Dropbox) and include a link to the video in the body of your email. The recipient can then click on the link to access the video.
Q: How do I upload a video to Google Drive?
A: To upload a video to Google Drive, go to your Google Drive account and click on the “New” button. Select “File upload,” and then choose the video file you want to upload from your computer. Once the video is uploaded, you can use the link to share it via Gmail.
Q: Can I send large video files through email?
A: Yes, you can send large video files through email by using cloud storage services like Google Drive or Dropbox. Upload the video file to one of these services, and then share the link to the video via email.
Q: How do I send a video as an attachment in Gmail?
A: To send a video as an attachment in Gmail, compose your email and click on the attachment icon. Select the video file you want to send from your computer’s storage. Keep in mind that there is a 25MB attachment size limit for video files in Gmail.
Q: How can I send videos via email?
A: To send videos via email, compose a new email in your email client (such as Gmail). Click on the attachment icon and select the video file you want to send. Depending on the size of the video file, you may need to use a cloud storage service to upload the video and share the link in your email.
