Why can’t you send large Word documents by email?
A text-only report may fit in an email. A thesis with high-resolution figures, screenshots, or photos pasted into it won’t. Gmail does not accept attachments over 25 MB, and Outlook does not accept attachments over about 20 MB.
The usual workarounds damage the document. Compressing images in Word leaves blotchy prints. Splitting the file across several emails leaves the recipient to put it back together. A shared drive often requires an account or permission.
The file the recipient opens should be the same Word file you uploaded.
| Method | What happens | For reports and contracts |
|---|---|---|
| Gmail or Outlook attachment | Attachments over 20–25 MB won’t send | Not suitable |
| Reducing image size in Word | Photos may lose quality | Risky for printing |
| Splitting across several emails | Parts get scattered, and one may be missing | Not suitable |
| Shared drive | The file may stay available, but the recipient may need an account | Use with care |
| SendGB link | Word files aren’t converted, and folder structure is preserved | Suitable for delivery |
The example above is a thesis submission: the full text, figures, and supplementary surveys. If you also want to include a PDF so no one edits the final version, see the guide to sending PDF files. For scanned pages, see the guide to sending scanned documents.
Converting a Word file vs. sending it unchanged
Converting Word to PDF is a separate task. Sometimes you need both: one for editing, one for reading. We don’t perform this conversion. If you upload both, both are downloaded.
Anything in the document is included: comments, tracked changes, and embedded tables. If you don’t want the recipient to see earlier versions of the draft, remove that content yourself before sending.
| Reduced-size or converted copy | Word file sent unchanged | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Fit in an email or provide the final version for reading | Original file for editing |
| Images | May be compressed or embedded in a PDF | Preserved |
| Comments and changes | May be lost during conversion | Stay in the document |
| 25 MB | Quality is reduced to fit the limit | Does not need to fit the limit |
| What we do | We don’t convert or clean up files | We don’t modify the file |
We don’t open files containing macros either. The macro does not run. The file downloads unchanged. The recipient’s program may display a separate prompt about the macro.
What should you send with a report?
A lengthy submission may involve more than one file. A missing attachment leaves the job incomplete.
| File | Purpose | If missing |
|---|---|---|
| Main report or thesis | Text to be edited | The main work isn’t delivered |
| Figures and charts file | Keeps large images separate | The report is incomplete |
| Supplementary table | Numbers and survey data | The review is incomplete |
| Cover note | Explains what each file is | The recipient won’t know the order |
| PDF copy | Final version for reading | Optional |
If the tables are in Excel, put that file in the same folder. See the separate guide to sending Excel files. Keep the folder intact. Downloading the entire transfer preserves its structure. No ZIP file is needed. If you create a ZIP file, we don’t open the archive.
Is 5 GB enough for a Word file?
5 GB is often enough for a single report or thesis with images. It may not be enough for files accumulated over years. The limit applies to total size, not page count. We don’t guarantee a specific number of pages.
| What you’re sending | Typical size | Which option is enough |
|---|---|---|
| Short text report | Often a few MB | Free, no registration, up to 90 days |
| Thesis or annual report with images | Hundreds of MB, sometimes 1–2 GB | Free |
| Report, attachments, and PDF together | May be several GB | Free if within the limit |
| Years of archived documents | May be tens of 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 1 TB of storage. SendGB Extra keeps files for up to 1 year. It is suitable for offices that frequently send large files.
SendGB Exceed requires no subscription. 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.
If you enter 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, you won’t receive another email. The notification does not confirm that the download finished.
How to send
- 1
Add your Word files
Add a single file or a folder to the upload box on the home page. The report, attachments, and note go in the same transfer. The free limit is 5 GB total.
- 2
Send the link
Send the link to the recipient’s email address, or copy and paste it into a message. If you’re sending a contract, 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. Word files don’t open on the download page. The recipient downloads the file and opens it in their own program. Downloading the entire transfer preserves the folder structure. 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?
- The document’s embedded images, tables, and comments remain unchanged when downloaded.
- Multiple Word files and a folder of attachments go in the same transfer.
- Adding a folder preserves its structure. The recipient downloads everything together.
- If you enter your email address, you receive one notification when someone starts downloading.
What we don’t do
- We don’t convert Word to PDF. We don’t remove comments or accept tracked changes.
- Word files don’t open on the download page. The recipient opens the file on their own computer.
- A download notification does not confirm that the entire file was downloaded. If the same person downloads again, you won’t receive a second email.
- There is no Gmail or Outlook add-on. You paste the link yourself.
Frequently asked questions
Are Word files converted during transfer?
No. SendGB does not open or resave the document. DOCX or DOC files download unchanged. We don’t convert them to PDF, merge pages, or embed fonts.
How do I get around Gmail’s 25 MB limit?
Don’t attach the Word file to your email. A report with images exceeds this limit. Create a transfer and paste the short link into Gmail. The email goes through even if the document is large.
Should I reduce the Word file size before sending?
No. Word’s built-in compression tool degrades photos in the document. For printing or archiving, send the file as it is. A text-only report is already small and will often fit in an email.
Can I send Word files with tracked changes and comments?
Yes, if they are in the document, they are included. We don’t remove them. If you don’t want the recipient to see the old text and comments, accept the changes and remove the comments yourself before sending.
Can I send multiple Word files at once?
Yes. Put the report, attachments, and note in the same upload box or folder. The free limit applies to total size, not the number of files. Downloading the entire transfer preserves the folder structure.
Why is my Word document so large?
Usually because of images pasted into it. High-resolution figures and photos can increase the file size to hundreds of MB, sometimes over 1 GB. A text-only contract, however, stays within a few MB. We don’t guarantee a specific number of pages. The limit applies to total size, not page count.
Will I be notified when the recipient starts downloading?
Yes, if you enter your email address. With email delivery, you are notified once per recipient. With link delivery, you are notified once per transfer. The notification tells you that the download has started. It does not confirm that the entire file was downloaded. If the same person downloads again, you won’t receive another email. If you use link delivery without entering an email address, you won’t receive a notification.
Can the recipient preview the file, and do they need an account?
Word files don’t open on the download page. The recipient downloads the file and opens it in Word or a compatible program. No account, app, or SendGB registration is required. If you want to show the final version page by page, include a PDF in the same transfer. See the [guide to sending PDF files](/send-large-files/send-large-pdf-files).
Can I include PDF files, Excel files, or scans?
Yes. They can all go in the same transfer. Check the total size. Separate guides cover [sending PDF files](/send-large-files/send-large-pdf-files), [sending Excel files](/send-large-files/send-large-excel-files), and [sending scanned documents](/send-large-files/send-scanned-documents).
Which option should I choose if 5 GB isn’t enough?
A thesis or report with images 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 years of archived documents, use SendGB Extra: 500 GB per transfer, 1 TB of storage, starting at €29.90 per year. SendGB Extra keeps files for up to 1 year. For a single archive over 500 GB, SendGB Exceed is enough: no subscription, €9.99 for a 1 TB transfer. The code 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 Word file to an email
A report with images may fit within 5 GB. Send a larger archive up to 500 GB with SendGB Extra, or up to 1 TB in a single transfer with SendGB Exceed.
Start sending