Two problems when you send large files on WhatsApp
Sending a photo or video in a chat bubble reduces the file size. The recipient often doesn’t notice. A compressed copy of the wedding film ends up in their gallery.
Sending as a document is the other option. It reduces compression. The WhatsApp document size limit is about 2 GB per file. Sending hundreds of photos as separate documents doesn’t keep an album together. The video may also stay outside the gallery.
| Method | 1.6 GB wedding package |
|---|---|
| Photo or video in a chat bubble | Compressed |
| Documents sent one at a time | About 2 GB limit; album is split up |
| Split into two parts | We don’t reassemble the parts |
| Our phone app | None |
| Link pasted into the chat | Downloaded unchanged |
The example above includes a film, photo package, speech recording, cover image, and note. They’re all sent through one link.
No app for sending from your gallery
There’s no SendGB app that opens your phone’s gallery to send files. Complete the transfer on the website. Copy the link. Paste it into a WhatsApp message. Don’t tap the paperclip.
| File in a chat bubble | Link | |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | May decrease | Original quality preserved |
| Album | Separate bubbles | One address |
| 2 GB | Document limit | Free up to 5 GB |
| Group | Everyone gets a compressed copy | Everyone downloads the same original |
| Account | WhatsApp account is enough | No additional account |
Don’t put the password in the group message. If the link is there, the password gives everyone access too.
Group sharing and download notifications
Post once in the group. Anyone who wants the files can download them. This does not mean WhatsApp will tell you whether each member downloaded the file. If you entered your email address for the transfer, you’re notified once when a download starts.
| WhatsApp group | Link | |
|---|---|---|
| Who can see it | Group members | Anyone with the address |
| Where the file is | In the chat, possibly compressed | On the download page |
| Notification | Group chat | Once when a download starts, if an email address was provided |
| Availability | Stays in the chat | 7 days |
| Over 5 GB | Document limit is too low | SendGB Exceed or SendGB Extra |
For the photo package itself, see the photo album guide. For Telegram’s own size limit, see the Telegram file sharing guide.
2 GB vs. 5 GB
WhatsApp documents are limited to about 2 GB. SendGB supports free transfers up to 5 GB. A 1.6 GB package appears to fit within both limits. The difference is that the album stays together and isn’t compressed. A wedding archive over 5 GB won’t fit in a free transfer.
| Total | SendGB | |
|---|---|---|
| Short compressed video | Sends, with reduced quality | Not needed |
| 1.6 GB folder | Won’t fit as a document or gets split up | Free |
| 4 GB | Exceeds the document limit | Free |
| Over 5 GB | Won’t send | SendGB Extra or SendGB Exceed |
| App installation | None | None |
Don’t attach the file to WhatsApp. Send the link.
How to send
- 1
Add the album to the upload box
Add the film, photos, and audio to the same transfer. Don’t send them one at a time through WhatsApp. You can send 1.6 GB for free.
- 2
Paste the link into the chat
Copy the link and paste it into a WhatsApp message. Don’t send the file using the paperclip icon. Don’t put the password in the same message.
- 3
The recipient downloads the files
The recipient downloads from the link and does not create an account. A browser on a phone or computer is enough. The link stays available for 7 days. Free transfers up to 250 MB stay available for up to 90 days.
What happens to your file?
- The film, photos, and audio aren’t compressed again.
- The album is shared through one link. You don’t send documents one at a time.
- Folder names are preserved when the entire transfer is downloaded.
- If you entered your email address, you’re notified once when a download starts.
What we don’t do
- There’s no SendGB app for WhatsApp. You can’t send through SendGB directly from your gallery.
- We don’t raise WhatsApp’s 2 GB document limit.
- We can’t restore the compressed copy in the chat bubble.
- Download notifications aren’t sent to every group member through WhatsApp.
Frequently asked questions
Why does WhatsApp reduce video quality?
WhatsApp compresses files sent as photos or videos. A smaller copy is downloaded to the recipient’s gallery. That copy isn’t suitable for editing or printing. Files sent through a link aren’t compressed.
Is sending a video as a document on WhatsApp enough to preserve quality?
It preserves quality better. But the limit is still about 2 GB per file. You have to send each album item separately. The video may also stay outside the gallery. A link works better for a 1.6 GB folder with multiple files. WhatsApp’s limit may change.
Do you have your own app?
No. There’s no SendGB app for sending files directly from your phone’s gallery. You create the transfer on the website. Then you paste the link into WhatsApp.
Can everyone in the group download the files?
If you post the link in the group, everyone can open the same download link. Recipients don’t need a WhatsApp account to download. If you entered your email address, download notifications go to you. No separate download notifications are sent to group members inside WhatsApp.
Can I send files over 2 GB on WhatsApp?
WhatsApp documents are limited to about 2 GB. SendGB supports free transfers up to 5 GB. Transfers over 5 GB require a paid plan. Don’t split the file into two WhatsApp documents.
Can I show the cover image in the chat?
You can post a small cover image separately in the chat. Share the original film and album through the download link. The cover posted in the chat may be compressed. That copy isn’t the print-ready file.
Should I post the password in the group?
No. If you post the password in the group too, everyone can see it. Send it through a separate channel only to the intended recipients.
Will the folder structure change?
Folder names are preserved when the entire transfer is downloaded. Clicking a single photo does not recreate the album’s folder structure. WhatsApp displays each photo in a separate message bubble. That message layout is not the folder structure in SendGB.
Does a download notification mean the wedding film was watched?
No. If you entered your email address, you’re notified when a download starts. With email delivery, you are notified once per recipient. With link delivery, you are notified once per transfer. This notification does not confirm that the film was watched.
Is it free to send 1.6 GB?
Yes. You can send up to 5 GB without registering. The link stays available for 7 days. Longer retention and larger transfers require SendGB Extra or SendGB Exceed.
Send the download link, not a WhatsApp attachment
A 1.6 GB wedding package is compressed in the chat. You can send it through a link without registering.
Start sending