Why can’t you send Illustrator files as email attachments?
A simple logo may fit in an email. Packaging artwork may not. It includes linked photos, patterns, and multiple artboards. Gmail does not accept attachments over 25 MB; Outlook’s limit is about 20 MB.
An incomplete package causes printing problems. If you send only the AI file, linked images may be missing. If the font is not installed on the other computer, text may reflow. Flattening everything makes paths uneditable. You cannot ask for a text change later.
The printer and the person making edits need the file as you prepared it.
| Method | What happens | For printing and editing |
|---|---|---|
| Gmail or Outlook attachment | Attachments over 20–25 MB cannot be sent | Not suitable |
| Sending only the AI file | Linked images and fonts may be missing | Risky |
| Sending only a flattened PDF | Printing can start, but paths cannot be edited | Works for printing, not as a source file |
| Shared drive | The file may remain available, but an account may be required | Use with care |
| SendGB link | AI files are not flattened, and the folder structure is preserved | Suitable for handoff |
The example above is a box packaging handoff: an AI file, a print PDF, a linked photo, a label pattern, and a short note. If the photo artwork is a PSD, see the guide to sending Photoshop files.
Flattening vs. sending the source file
The print PDF is the copy used to start production. Bleed is the area that extends slightly beyond the page edge. It prevents white lines after trimming. If bleed is included in the PDF, it stays there. We do not measure or add it.
The source AI file is for later edits. Include both in the same transfer. We do not convert one to the other. See the guide to sending PDFs for details on PDF transfers.
| Flattened PDF | Unchanged AI file | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Start printing | Edit text and paths |
| Paths | No longer editable | Preserved |
| Linked image | May be embedded in the PDF | Must be included separately in the folder |
| 25 MB | May exceed it with embedded images | Exceeds it with linked files |
| What we do | We do not create the PDF | We do not open the file |
We leave color information untouched too. If the file contains spot colors or a print profile, they are preserved. The appearance may differ on the recipient’s screen. We do not make displays match.
Package Illustrator files with linked images and fonts
Illustrator’s Package command collects these files in one folder. You run the command. We send the folder and its contents together. We do not supply anything missing from it.
| Item | Where it belongs | If it is missing |
|---|---|---|
| Embedded image | Inside the AI file | No separate file is needed |
| Linked photo or pattern | In the same folder, often under Links | A missing-file warning appears when opened |
| File linked by an absolute path | On your computer | The recipient cannot find it; we do not repair the link |
| Font file | Included if you put it in the folder | Text may change without it |
| Print PDF | The copy you saved | The printer has to open the source file |
If the font license does not allow you to send the file, convert the text to outlines. Outlined text can no longer be edited as text. Keep text editable in the copy intended for editing, and include the font in the folder only if permitted. We do not check licenses.
When the recipient downloads the entire transfer, the folder structure is preserved. Clicking a single file downloads only that file. If you have many linked images, the free limit is 500 files. See the guide to sending folders for details.
Add a password for an unreleased logo. Send the password separately from the link.
Is 5 GB enough for packaging artwork?
5 GB is often enough for a single box or label. Every panel in a product line, along with high-resolution linked images, may not fit within 5 GB. The limit is based on total size and file count, not the number of products.
| What you are sending | Typical size | Which option is enough |
|---|---|---|
| Simple logo | Often a few MB | Free, no registration, up to 90 days |
| AI file and a few linked files | Tens or hundreds of MB | Free |
| Packaging artwork, print PDF, and photos | May be 1–3 GB | Free if it fits |
| Product line | May exceed 5 GB | SendGB Extra, 500 GB per transfer |
| Archive over 500 GB | One-time transfer | SendGB Exceed, up to 1 TB |
SendGB Extra starts at €29.90 per year. It includes 2,500 files and 1 TB of storage. SendGB Extra keeps files for up to 1 year. It suits studios that send packages frequently.
SendGB Exceed requires no membership. A 1 TB transfer costs €9.99. You can send 2,500 files. The code can be used once and is valid for 1 year. SendGB Exceed transfers stay available for 7 days. It is enough for an occasional very large product line.
If you entered your email address, you receive one notification when a download starts. With email delivery, you are notified once per recipient. With link delivery, you are notified once per transfer. If the same person downloads again, no new email is sent. The notification does not confirm that the download finished.
How to send
- 1
Add the package
Add the AI file or package folder to the upload box on the home page. Linked images in the same folder are sent together. The free limit is 5 GB total.
- 2
Send the link
Email the link to your printer or client, or copy and paste it into a message. If you add a password, send the password separately from the link. If you enter your own email address, you receive one notification when a download starts.
- 3
The recipient downloads the file
The recipient downloads from the link and does not create an account. AI and EPS files cannot be previewed on the download page. A PDF included with them can be viewed. To edit the file, the recipient downloads it and opens it in Illustrator. Free transfers over 250 MB stay available for 7 days. Free transfers up to 250 MB stay available for up to 90 days. SendGB Extra keeps files for up to 1 year.
What happens to your file?
- We leave the file untouched. Paths are not merged, and text is not converted to outlines.
- AI, EPS, and SVG files download as they are. We do not create the print PDF.
- Linked images in the same folder are sent together. Downloading everything together preserves the folder structure.
- If you entered your email address, you receive one notification when someone starts downloading.
What we don’t do
- We do not open files in Illustrator. We do not repair missing links or embed fonts.
- AI and EPS files cannot be previewed on the download page. SVG and PDF files can be viewed.
- An image linked to an absolute file path on your computer may still be missing on the recipient’s computer.
- The download notification does not confirm that the download finished. If the same person downloads again, no second email is sent.
Frequently asked questions
Will sending an Illustrator file damage it?
No. SendGB does not open the file in Illustrator. Paths, artboards, and the file’s color information are preserved. The file is not flattened or converted to PDF, and text is not converted to outlines.
What should I send to the printer?
Include the source AI file and the print PDF together. The PDF is the copy used to start printing. The AI file is for later edits. We do not create the PDF. You save it and add it to the same transfer.
What does Package mean in Illustrator?
Choose Package from Illustrator’s File menu to collect linked images and fonts in one folder. You do this yourself. Then add that folder to the upload box. We do not gather the folder’s contents or open them.
Could linked images be missing?
If an image is embedded in the file, it does not need to be sent separately. If it is linked externally, put it in the same folder. When the recipient downloads the entire transfer, the folder structure is preserved. If the image is linked to an absolute file path on your computer, it may still be missing on the recipient’s computer. We do not repair that link.
Are fonts included in the transfer?
If you put a font file in the folder, it downloads too. We do not embed it in the document. If the license does not allow you to send the font, convert the text to outlines before sending. Once outlined, the text can no longer be edited as text. That choice is yours. We do not check licenses.
How do I get around Gmail’s 25 MB limit?
Do not attach the AI file to the email. Linked photos exceed this limit. Create a transfer and paste the short link. The file is not included in the message.
Can I send EPS files, SVG files, and PDFs too?
Yes. They all download as they are. We do not convert one format to another. AI and EPS files cannot be previewed on the download page. SVG and PDF files can be viewed. Layered photo artwork is a separate file. You can include it in the same transfer.
Does the recipient need an Adobe account?
Not to download. To edit paths, the recipient needs Illustrator or another program that opens AI files. Not every viewer preserves editable vectors. The print PDF lets someone without Illustrator view the artwork.
Why is the file so large?
Vectors alone are usually small. Linked high-resolution images and raster effects increase the size. A packaging folder can easily exceed 1 GB. We do not guarantee how many packaging folders will fit. Free transfers are limited to 5 GB and 500 files.
Which option should I choose if 5 GB is not enough?
A single package of packaging artwork often fits within 5 GB. Free transfers over 250 MB stay available for 7 days. Free transfers up to 250 MB stay available for up to 90 days. For many product files and high-resolution linked images, you need SendGB Extra: it offers 500 GB per transfer, 2,500 files, and 1 TB of storage. It starts at €29.90 per year. SendGB Extra keeps files for up to 1 year. For a single package over 500 GB, SendGB Exceed is enough: no membership, €9.99 for a 1 TB transfer, and 2,500 files. The code can be used once and is valid for 1 year. SendGB Exceed transfers stay available for 7 days.
Send a download link instead of attaching an Illustrator file to email
A packaging file with linked images may fit within 5 GB. Send larger packages up to 500 GB with SendGB Extra, or up to 1 TB in a single transfer with SendGB Exceed.
Start sending