File Size Limits of Major Platforms (2026)
Most email services cap attachments at 20–35 MB per message: Gmail, Outlook.com, Yahoo Mail and Proton Mail (sending) allow 25 MB, iCloud Mail 20 MB and Microsoft 365 35 MB by default. Messaging apps allow far larger files — WhatsApp documents and Telegram files up to 2 GB — while Discord's free plan stops at 20 MB. Every limit below was checked against the platform's official help page on 18 October 2026.
| Platform | Limit | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gmail | 25 MB per email | Larger attachments are automatically sent as Google Drive links instead. | Official page |
| Outlook.com (personal) | 25 MB per email | Includes text and all attachments; larger files can be shared as OneDrive links. | Official page |
| Microsoft 365 / Exchange Online | 35 MB to send, 36 MB to receive (default) | Organization admins can raise the limit up to 150 MB. | Official page |
| Yahoo Mail | 25 MB per email | Total size of all attachments in one message. | Official page |
| iCloud Mail | 20 MB per message | Up to 5 GB with Mail Drop turned on. | Official page |
| iCloud Mail Drop | 5 GB per message | Attachments are stored in iCloud and expire after 30 days. | Official page |
| Proton Mail | 25 MB to send, 50 MB to receive | Total size of attachments per email. | Official page |
Messaging
| Platform | Limit | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 GB per document | Videos: 100 MB by default (64 MB on slower connections). | Official page | |
| Telegram | 2 GB per file | 4 GB per file with Telegram Premium. | Official page |
| Facebook Messenger | 100 MB per file | Announced by Meta in April 2024. | Official page |
| Discord | 20 MB per file (free) | 50 MB with Nitro Basic, up to 1 GB with Nitro. Discord changed these limits in 2026. | Official page |
| Slack | 1 GB per file | — | Official page |
Professional
| Platform | Limit | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| LinkedIn document posts | 100 MB and 300 pages | PDF, PPT, PPTX, DOC and DOCX documents (LinkedIn Documents API documentation). | Official page |
Cloud storage
| Platform | Limit | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Drive | 5 TB per file | Up to 750 GB of uploads per user per 24 hours. | Official page |
| Dropbox | 2 TB per file | Browser uploads over 375 GB may time out; use the desktop app. | Official page |
| OneDrive | 250 GB per file (website upload) | — | Official page |
All limits checked on against each platform's official help or developer documentation. Platforms change their limits; if you spot an outdated value, email support@novaxera.cloud. You may reuse this table with a link to this page (CC BY 4.0).
How to get a file under the limit
PDF too big for email
Compress PDF downsizes embedded images larger than 1200 px and cleans the file structure, which usually helps most with scanned and photo-heavy PDFs. Compress a PDF.
Photo too big for a form or chat
Compress Image re-encodes JPEG and WebP photos at quality 75 without changing their dimensions. Compress an image.
PNG screenshot too heavy
Converting a PNG photo or screenshot to JPG or WebP usually gives a much smaller file than lossless PNG optimization. Convert an image.
One huge document
Split PDF turns every page into its own file, so you can send only the pages that are needed. Split a PDF.
File size limit questions
What is the maximum attachment size in Gmail?
Gmail allows attachments of up to 25 MB per email for personal accounts. If your files add up to more than 25 MB, Gmail automatically removes them from the email and sends them as Google Drive links instead. To keep a PDF as a real attachment, compress it first so it fits under 25 MB.
What is the file size limit in Outlook?
Outlook.com (personal) allows emails of up to 25 MB, including text and attachments. Microsoft 365 work and school mailboxes default to 35 MB for sending and 36 MB for receiving, and an administrator can raise that up to 150 MB. Larger files can be shared as OneDrive links.
How big a file can I send on WhatsApp?
WhatsApp lets you send documents of up to 2 GB each. Videos are limited to 100 MB by default, or 64 MB on slower connections, according to WhatsApp's official help center. PDFs, Word files and other documents therefore have far more room than videos.
What is Discord's file size limit?
Discord's free plan allows files of up to 20 MB, according to Discord's File Attachments FAQ checked in October 2026. Nitro Basic raises the limit to 50 MB and Nitro to up to 1 GB. Discord changed these limits during 2026, so check its help center if a value seems off.
How do I send a file larger than 25 MB by email?
You can either make the file smaller or send a link. For PDFs and photos, compressing the file is often enough: Novaxera's Compress PDF downsizes large images inside a PDF, and Compress Image shrinks JPEG and WebP photos. For files that can't shrink enough, share them through Google Drive, OneDrive or iCloud Mail Drop.
What is the Telegram file size limit?
Telegram allows files of up to 2 GB each on a free account and up to 4 GB with Telegram Premium, according to the official Telegram FAQ. That makes Telegram one of the most generous messaging apps for sending large PDFs, videos and archives.
How large can a LinkedIn document post be?
LinkedIn document posts can be up to 100 MB and 300 pages, in PDF, PPT, PPTX, DOC or DOCX format, according to LinkedIn's Documents API documentation. Long PDFs can be split into shorter files with Split PDF, and heavy ones compressed with Compress PDF.
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