Email Video Clips via Gmail

If you're trying to send a video file to someone through your Gmail account, you may have come across the 25 MB attachment size limit. Luckily, Gmail allows you to link any files in your Google Drive account, and all Gmail accounts come with 15 GB of free storage. This means you can use Google Drive to send video files of virtually any size to anyone you want, without having to worry about size limits. You can also embed YouTube videos into your messages.

Steps

Using Google Drive for Video Files

  1. Sign into your Google Drive account. All Gmail accounts come with 15 GB of free Google Drive storage. You can upload video files of any size to Drive and then share them through Gmail. The recipient(s) will not need a Drive account to download the video file. Log into Drive with the same Google account you use for Gmail.[1]
    • You can use the Google Drive website on your computer (drive.google.com), or the Google Drive mobile app on your Android or iOS device.
    • You can attach video files up to 25 MB directly to a Gmail message using the Attach-Photos-in-Gmail, but most videos are far larger than this. This is especially true of HD video. Using Drive allows you to send videos of any size.
  2. Upload the video file that you want to send through Gmail. Drive allows you to upload files of any size. The process for uploading files is pretty straightforward for both the desktop and mobile app versions:
    • Desktop - Drag the file you want to upload into the Drive window. The file will begin uploading. You can also click the "New" button, select "File upload", and then browse for the video file on your computer.
    • Mobile - Find the file on your device that you want to send to drive. Use a File Manager app to quickly browse through your stored files. Select the file and tap the "Share" button in the menu. Select "Google Drive" from the list of apps, and then tap "Save".
  3. Wait for the video to upload. The upload may take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours, depending on the size of the video file and the speed of your internet connection. You won't be able to attach the file until it has been completely uploaded.
    • If you're using a mobile device, you'll likely want to be connected to a wireless network to avoid eating up your mobile data.
  4. Compose a new Gmail message. Once your video has been uploaded, you can attach it to any Gmail message. Compose your message as normal.
  5. Attach the video file from Google Drive. You can attach the video file much like you would a regular attachment.
    • Desktop - Click the Drive icon at the bottom of the Compose window. This will open a new window showing your Drive files. Select the video file you want to add. You can also choose from videos that other Drive users have shared with you, or you can upload a video from your computer. Make sure "Drive link" is selected in the bottom-right corner.
    • Mobile - Tap the Attachments button at the top of the screen. Select "Insert from Drive". Find the video file that you want to share and then tap "Select".
  6. Send the message. The message will send immediately, since the file is linked and not actually attached to the message.
  7. Have the recipient follow the Drive link in the message. Your recipient will be able to access the video by clicking the link in your message. The video will open in a new tab, and they can either stream the video immediately without downloading it or click the Download button at the top of the page. If they are signed in to Drive, they can save it to their Drive account as well.

Sending YouTube Videos

  1. Copy the URL for the video you want to send. Gmail allows you to embed YouTube links into your emails. The recipients will be able to watch the video without having to visit the YouTube site if they open the message in Gmail.
  2. Paste the URL into the body of your message. You can also use the "Insert Link" button if you want to change the text of the link to the video.
    • You won't see the preview of the video when you paste the link into the message.
  3. Send the message. Send the message to any recipient you'd like. If the recipient has Gmail, they'll see a preview of the video and be able to view it from within the email. If they aren't using Gmail, the link will take them to the video on YouTube.[2]

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-send-really-big-files-gmail-2014-2
  2. ↑ http://www.maketecheasier.com/better-embed-youtube-videos-into-gmail/
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