Why can’t I send scanned documents as email attachments?
A single passport scan may fit in an email. An application with a color property deed, a power of attorney, and supporting documents will not. Gmail does not accept attachments over 25 MB, and Outlook does not accept attachments over about 20 MB.
The usual workarounds compromise the pages. Reducing their size makes text blurry. Splitting the file across several emails leaves the recipient to put the pieces in order. If one email lands in spam, the documents are incomplete. A shared drive often requires an account or permission.
The page the recipient opens should be the scan you uploaded.
| Method | What happens | For property deeds and passport scans |
|---|---|---|
| Gmail or Outlook attachment | Attachments over 20–25 MB will not send | Not suitable |
| Reducing page size | Text may become unreadable | An agency may require clear pages |
| Splitting 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 | Pages stay at full size, and folder structure is preserved | Suitable for delivery |
The example above is an application file: a color PDF, a county-recorded property deed, two passport scan pages, and a TIFF power of attorney. If you have a Word document that needs editing, use the guide to sending Word documents. For a print-ready PDF, see the guide to sending PDF files.
Reducing scan quality vs. sending the original
A scan reduced to fit an email attachment limit may look acceptable on screen. It falls short when printed or reviewed. Fine text loses definition, and seals and signatures become hard to make out.
Sending the file unchanged avoids these problems. The file is not resaved. A PDF stays a PDF. A TIFF stays a TIFF. We do not combine separate JPG pages into one document. We do not turn text in a scan into selectable text, either.
| Reduced-quality page | Scan sent unchanged | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Fit an email attachment limit | Notary, bank, agency, archive |
| Text | May become blurry | Preserved |
| TIFF | Often converted to PDF | Downloads as TIFF |
| 25 MB | Quality is reduced to fit | Does not need to fit |
| What we do | We do not reduce or combine pages | We leave the file untouched |
A scan of a notarized printout transfers the same way. We do not verify the notarization. The page downloads unchanged.
Which pages should you send together?
An application may include more than one file. A missing supporting document leaves it incomplete.
| Document | Purpose | If missing |
|---|---|---|
| Main application | Signed color document | The submission is incomplete |
| Property deed or contract | Primary document | The review cannot be completed |
| Two passport scan pages | Identify the applicant | The documents are incomplete |
| Supporting correspondence | Requested supporting page | The documents are incomplete |
If you put the pages in a folder, keep that structure. The folder is preserved when the recipient downloads the entire transfer. No ZIP is needed. If you create a ZIP, we do not open the archive.
Passport scans and property deeds are sensitive. Add a password. Send the password separately from the link. If anything on a page needs to be hidden, cover it before sending. We do not redact text.
Is 5 GB enough for scanned documents?
5 GB is often enough for a single application or property deed file. It may not be enough for years of archived documents. The limit is based on total size, not page count. We do not guarantee a specific number of pages.
| What you are sending | Typical size | Which option is enough |
|---|---|---|
| Single passport scan | Often a few MB | Free, no sign-up, up to 90 days |
| Color property deed and power of attorney | Tens or hundreds of MB | Free |
| Large application folder | May be 1–2 GB | Free if it fits |
| Years of scanned archives | 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 suits offices that frequently send large document 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.
If you enter your email address, you receive one notification when downloading 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 is complete.
How to send
- 1
Add your scans
Add a single file or folder to the upload box on the home page. Your application, property deed, and passport scans go in the same transfer. The free limit is 5 GB in total.
- 2
Send the link
Send the link to the recipient’s email address, or copy it into a message. Add a password for passport scans and contracts. Send the password separately from the link. If you enter your own email address, you receive one notification when downloading starts.
- 3
The recipient downloads the files
The recipient downloads from the link and does not create an account. PDF and JPG files can be opened and viewed on the download page. TIFF files cannot. The folder structure stays intact when the recipient downloads 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?
- Page resolution is preserved. PDF, JPG, and TIFF files download unchanged.
- A folder with multiple scanned pages goes in one transfer. We do not combine or split pages.
- When you add a folder, its structure is preserved. 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 do not reduce page size, convert files to PDF, or turn scans into text.
- TIFF files cannot be opened on the download page. PDF and JPG files can be viewed. A very large PDF may be slow in a browser.
- A download notification does not confirm that the entire file has downloaded. If the same person downloads again, no second email is sent.
- There is no Gmail or Outlook add-on. You paste the link yourself.
Frequently asked questions
Does SendGB reduce the quality of scanned documents?
No. SendGB does not resave pages. PDF, JPG, and TIFF files download at the resolution you uploaded. Text does not become blurry, and colors do not fade.
How do I get around Gmail’s 25 MB limit?
Do not attach the scan to your email. A color application file exceeds this limit. Create a transfer and paste the short link into Gmail. The email goes through even if the file is large.
Should I compress scanned pages before sending them?
No. Reducing a scan to get it under 25 MB can make it unreadable. A notary, bank, or agency may require clear pages. Send it unchanged. A single passport scan is often small enough to fit in an email. A large application file is not.
Do you convert pages to PDF or turn scans into text?
No. We do not convert TIFF to PDF. We do not combine separate JPG pages into one document. We do not turn text in a scan into selectable text, either. The file you upload is the file the recipient downloads.
Can I send multiple scans at once?
Yes. Add the application, property deed, and passport scans to the same upload box or folder. The free limit is based on total size, not page count. The folder structure stays intact when the recipient downloads the entire transfer.
Why are scanned documents so large?
A high-resolution color page can take up several MB. A hundred pages exceed the attachment limit. A black-and-white text page is much smaller. A large folder can easily exceed 1 GB. We do not guarantee a page count. The limit is based on total size, not the number of pages.
Can the recipient preview scans before downloading?
PDF files can be opened and viewed on the download page. JPG files can also be opened. TIFF files cannot. The recipient downloads a TIFF and opens it in their own software. A very large PDF may be slow in a browser. In that case, downloading the file is a better option. No account is needed to download.
Can I add a password for passport scans and property deeds?
Yes. Add a password to the transfer. Send the password separately from the link. Someone who sees the link cannot download without knowing the password. We do not redact text on the page. Cover any information that needs to be hidden before sending.
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 downloading has started. It does not confirm that the entire file has downloaded. If the same person downloads again, no new email is sent. If you use link delivery without entering your email address, you will not receive a notification.
Which option should I choose if 5 GB is not enough?
A single application or property deed file 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. An archive of years of scanned documents 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 single-use code valid for 1 year. The link stays available for 7 days.
Send a download link, not an email attachment
A color application file may fit within 5 GB. Send a larger archive up to 500 GB with SendGB Extra, or up to 1 TB in one transfer with SendGB Exceed.
Start sending