Why can’t you share Figma files as email attachments?
Inviting your client to the file is enough while work is in progress. Once the project ends, it isn’t. The file stays in your workspace. If your subscription ends or you revoke the invitation, your client won’t have a copy.
That’s what a local copy is for. You save it from Figma as a .fig file. Embedded images can make the file hundreds of MB. Gmail won’t accept attachments over 25 MB, and Outlook won’t accept attachments over about 20 MB.
The file your recipient downloads should be the copy you saved. We don’t replace the live file.
| Sharing method | What happens | For project handoff |
|---|---|---|
| Gmail or Outlook attachment | Attachments over 20–25 MB won’t send | Not suitable |
| Figma invitation | The file stays with you, and the recipient remains dependent on your workspace | Suitable while work is in progress |
| PNG or PDF only | Screens are visible, but the source file isn’t included | For viewing |
| Shared drive | The file may remain available; an account may be required | Use with care |
| SendGB link | The .fig file won’t open on the download page; no account is needed to download | Suitable for handoff |
The example above is a product handoff: an app file, a design system, an approval PDF, an icon, and a short note. If the photo work is separate, see how to send Photoshop files.
Sending an invitation vs. sending a copy
An invitation is for collaboration. Comments and file updates happen there. A handoff gives the recipient a copy.
We don’t connect to your Figma account. You save the local copy. We don’t open the file. Its pages and layers remain intact. Version history and comments stay in Figma. They aren’t included in the copy. Add any version history and comments to the handoff note yourself.
| Figma invitation | .fig copy | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Reviewing together while work is in progress | Delivering the file when the project ends |
| Where the file is | In your workspace | In the copy the recipient downloads |
| Account | A Figma account is required | No account is needed to download |
| History and comments | Stay in Figma | Aren’t included in the copy |
| What we do | We don’t send invitations | We don’t open the file |
Include a PDF or PNG so the recipient can view the screens. We don’t create them. A PDF can open on the download page. See how to send PDF files for details. The .fig file won’t open.
Include libraries and icons together
A component is a reusable element, such as a button or card. If it is stored in the file, it remains in the copy. If it is linked to another team library, that library isn’t included automatically. Updates won’t reach the recipient either.
| Item | Where it is stored | If it is missing |
|---|---|---|
| Pages and layers | Inside the .fig copy | You haven’t saved the file |
| The file’s own components | In the same copy | We don’t delete them |
| Team library | In a separate .fig file, if you save it | The connection isn’t established automatically |
| Icons, PNG, SVG | In the folder, if you add them | Only the source file is downloaded |
| Comments and version history | In Figma | Not included in the copy |
Save the library file too, and put it in the same folder. The folder structure stays intact when the recipient downloads the entire transfer. Clicking a single file downloads only that file. If you have many icons, the free limit is 500 files. See how to send folders for details.
Add a password for an unpublished product. Send the password separately from the link.
Is 5 GB enough for a Figma client handoff?
For a few files from one product, 5 GB is often enough. It may not be enough for an archive of screens spanning years. The limit is based on total size and file count, not the number of screens. We don’t guarantee how many files will fit.
| What you’re sending | Typical size | Which option is enough |
|---|---|---|
| PNGs of a few screens | Often a few MB | Free, no registration, up to 90 days |
| One .fig file | Tens or hundreds of MB | Free |
| App, design system, and icons | May be around 1 GB | Free if within the limit |
| An archive of screens spanning years | May be tens of GB | SendGB Extra, 500 GB per transfer |
| An archive over 500 GB | One 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 teams that regularly send project handoffs.
SendGB Exceed requires no subscription. 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 archive.
If you entered your email address, you’ll 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, you won’t receive another email. The notification does not confirm that downloading is complete.
How to send
- 1
Save a copy
In Figma’s English menu, open File and select Save local copy. Add the downloaded .fig file, approval PDF, and icons folder to the upload box. The free limit is 5 GB total.
- 2
Send the link
Email the link to your client or copy and paste it into a message. Add a password for unpublished work. Send the password separately from the link. If you enter your email address, you’ll receive one notification when downloading starts.
- 3
The recipient downloads the file
No Figma account is needed to download. The .fig file won’t open on the download page. PDF and SVG files can be viewed. To edit the file, the recipient imports it into their own Figma account. We don’t do that for them. 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. Pages and layers remain in the .fig copy.
- The approval PDF, PNG, and SVG go in the same transfer. We don’t create them.
- If you add a folder, its structure stays intact when downloaded in full.
- If you entered your email address, you’ll receive one notification when someone starts downloading.
What we don’t do
- We don’t connect to Figma. We don’t open the file or connect its libraries.
- Version history and file comments aren’t included in the copy. They stay in Figma.
- The .fig file won’t open on the download page. You add a PDF or PNG for viewing.
- 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.
Frequently asked questions
How do I export a local Figma copy?
In Figma’s English menu, open File and select Save local copy. Add the downloaded file to the upload box. We don’t access your Figma account to get this copy.
Are components and pages preserved?
Pages, layers, and components saved in the file remain in the copy. A component is a reusable element, such as a button or card. We don’t open the file, so we don’t delete them. Version history and comments stay in Figma and aren’t included in the copy.
Why isn’t an invitation enough?
An invitation makes sense while work is in progress. When the project ends, your client shouldn’t depend on your workspace and subscription. The .fig copy becomes their own file. We don’t revoke the invitation. You save and send the copy.
Is the team library included?
No, not automatically. Updates to a component linked to another file won’t reach the recipient. Use Save local copy to save the library file too, and put it in the same folder. We don’t establish that connection.
Can I send PNG, PDF, and .fig files together?
Yes. Include a PDF or PNG for approval and a .fig file for editing. We don’t create the exports. You export them from Figma and add them to the same transfer. PDF, PNG, and SVG files can open on the download page. The .fig file cannot.
How do I get around Gmail’s 25 MB limit?
Don’t attach the .fig file to your email. Embedded images push the file over this limit. Create the transfer and paste the short link. The file stays out of the message.
Does the recipient need a Figma account?
Not to download. No SendGB registration is needed either. To open the .fig file, the recipient must import it into their own Figma account. That requires a Figma account. We don’t handle the import.
Why are Figma files so large?
Images added to the file and large numbers of screens increase its size. A simple interface file may stay in the tens of MB. A product file with photos can reach hundreds of MB, and several together can exceed 1 GB. We don’t guarantee how many will fit. The free transfer limit is 5 GB and 500 files.
Will I be notified when the recipient starts downloading?
Yes, if you entered 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 was downloaded. If the same person downloads again, you won’t receive another email. If you use link delivery without entering your email address, you won’t receive a notification.
Which option should I choose if 5 GB isn’t enough?
The .fig files for one product often fit 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 screens spanning years calls for SendGB Extra: 500 GB per transfer, 2,500 files, 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, 2,500 files, and a code that can be used once and is valid for 1 year. SendGB Exceed transfers stay available for 7 days.
Send a download link instead of inviting your client to the file
Several .fig files 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