Why can’t I send large PDF files by email?
A short contract may fit in an email. A photo-heavy portfolio, print catalog, or color scan will not. Gmail does not accept attachments over 25 MB, and Outlook does not accept attachments over approximately 20 MB.
The usual workarounds damage the document. Reducing its size recompresses the images inside. Scanned pages may become unreadable. Splitting the file across several emails leaves the recipient to reassemble it. A shared drive often requires an account or permissions. It may not be clear when the link will expire.
The file the recipient opens should be the PDF you uploaded.
| Method | What happens | For print files and contracts |
|---|---|---|
| Gmail or Outlook attachment | Attachments over 20–25 MB will not go through | Not suitable |
| Compressing the PDF | Photos and scans may be degraded | Risky for print |
| Splitting it across several emails | Parts get scattered, and one may be missing | Not suitable |
| Shared drive | The file may remain available, but the recipient may need an account | Use with care |
| SendGB link | The PDF is not compressed, and the folder structure is preserved | Suitable for delivery |
The example above is an architectural submission: a portfolio, catalog, and supporting bid documents. This page does not cover Word documents. To send a Word file, see the Word file guide. For a folder of scanned pages, see the scanned document guide.
Compressing a PDF vs. sending it unchanged
A PDF compressed to fit an email limit may look acceptable on screen. It falls short for printing and archiving. Photos look blotchy, and fine text loses definition.
Sending it unchanged prevents this degradation. The document is not resaved. Embedded fonts stay intact. If a font is not embedded, we do not add it. If the recipient does not have that font on their computer, the appearance may change. You need to embed it before sending.
| Compressed PDF | PDF sent unchanged | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Fit within an email attachment limit | Printing, archiving, review |
| Images | Recompressed | Preserved |
| Scans | May become unreadable | Pages download unchanged |
| 25 MB | Quality is reduced to fit | Does not need to fit |
| Fonts | May also be affected | Preserved if embedded |
A text-only contract a few pages long is small. You can send that by link too. For large files, sending a link is necessary.
Which documents should you send together?
A bid, application, or client delivery may involve more than one PDF. A missing attachment leaves the submission incomplete.
| Document | Purpose | If missing |
|---|---|---|
| Portfolio or catalog | The main file showcasing the work | The delivery is incomplete |
| Contract | Terms and signature | The agreement is not in writing |
| Supplemental plan or technical PDF | Dimensions, cost estimates, specifications | The review is incomplete |
| Cover note | Identifies each file | The recipient will not know the order |
If you use a folder, keep its structure intact. It is preserved when the recipient downloads the entire transfer. No ZIP is needed. If you create a ZIP, we do not unpack it.
Is 5 GB enough for a PDF?
5 GB is usually enough to send a PDF portfolio, catalog, or bid package. It may not be enough for years of scanned archives. The limit is based on total size, not page count.
| What you are sending | Typical size | Which option is enough |
|---|---|---|
| Text contract | Usually a few MB | Free, no sign-up, up to 90 days |
| Portfolio with photos | Hundreds of MB, sometimes 1–2 GB | Free |
| Print catalog and supporting files | Can be several GB | Free if it fits |
| Years of scanned archives | Can be tens of GB | SendGB Extra, 500 GB per transfer |
| Archive over 500 GB | One transfer | SendGB Exceed, up to 1 TB |
SendGB Extra starts at €29.90 per year. It includes 1 TB of storage. SendGB Extra keeps files for up to 1 year. It suits offices that frequently send large files.
SendGB Exceed requires no membership. A 1 TB transfer costs €9.99. The code can be used once and is valid for 1 year. The link stays available for 7 days. It is enough for an occasional very large archive.
Presentation files are separate from PDFs. To send a presentation file, see the presentation guide.
How to send
- 1
Add your PDFs
Add a single file or folder to the upload box on the home page. Your portfolio, contract, and supporting files go in the same transfer. The free limit is 5 GB in total.
- 2
Send the link
Email the link to the recipient or copy and paste it into a message. Add a password to the transfer when sending a contract. Send the password separately from the link.
- 3
The recipient downloads the file
The recipient downloads from the link and does not create an account. The folder structure stays intact when they download the entire transfer. 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?
- Pages, images, and embedded fonts download unchanged. The document’s own password also stays intact.
- Multiple PDFs and a folder of supporting files can go in the same transfer.
- When you add a folder, its structure is preserved. The recipient downloads everything together.
- If you set a password, someone with the link cannot download the files without it.
What we don’t do
- We do not compress PDFs, merge pages, or convert scans to text.
- We do not embed missing fonts in the document. If a font is not embedded, it must be installed on the recipient’s computer.
- PDFs can be opened and viewed on the download page. A very large print file may be slow in the browser. The main purpose is to download the file.
- There is no Gmail or Outlook add-in. You paste the link yourself.
Frequently asked questions
Are PDFs compressed during transfer?
No. SendGB does not resave the document. Images, scans, links, and embedded fonts stay intact. Any signature in the document also downloads unchanged because we do not modify the file.
How do I get around Gmail’s 25 MB limit?
Do not attach the PDF to the email. Portfolios and scanned files exceed this limit. Create a transfer and paste the short link into Gmail. The email goes through even if the document is 5 GB.
Should I compress a PDF before sending it?
No. Compression often damages the photos and scans inside it. Doing this to get below 25 MB can make a print file unreadable. Send it as is.
Should I split a PDF across several emails?
No. The recipient has to download the parts and put them in order. If one email lands in spam, the file is incomplete. One link is enough.
Can I send multiple PDFs at once?
Yes. Put the portfolio, contract, and supporting files in the same upload box or folder. The free limit applies to the total size, not the number of files. The folder structure stays intact when the recipient downloads the entire transfer.
Why are PDF files so large?
Usually because of the images inside. A high-resolution color scan can take up several MB per page. A hundred pages exceeds the attachment limit. A print-quality portfolio or catalog can be hundreds of MB, sometimes several GB. A text-only contract is usually small and may fit in an email.
Can I send a contract with a password-protected transfer?
Yes. Add a password to the transfer. Send the password separately from the link. This is separate from the password used to open the document itself. If the PDF already has a password, that password stays intact. We do not remove it.
Can the recipient preview the PDF before downloading? Do they need an account?
The PDF can be opened and viewed on the download page. No account, app, or SendGB sign-up is required. A very large print file may open slowly in the browser. In that case, downloading the file and opening it in their own software is a better option.
Can I also send Word files or scanned pages?
For Word files, see the [Word file guide](/send-large-files/send-large-word-documents). For a folder of scans, see the [scanned document guide](/send-large-files/send-scanned-documents). There is also a [presentation guide](/send-large-files/send-large-powerpoint-files). This page covers PDFs. If you want to include everything in one transfer, check the total size.
Which option should I choose if 5 GB is not enough?
A single portfolio, catalog, or bid package usually 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. An archive spanning years calls for SendGB Extra: 500 GB per transfer, 1 TB of storage, starting at €29.90 per year, with files kept for up to 1 year. For a single archive over 500 GB, SendGB Exceed is enough: no membership, €9.99 for a 1 TB transfer, and a code that can be used once and is valid for 1 year. The link stays available for 7 days.
Send a download link instead of attaching the PDF
A portfolio and catalog may fit within 5 GB. Send larger archives up to 500 GB with SendGB Extra, or up to 1 TB in a single transfer with SendGB Exceed.
Start sending