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To send a large file in Outlook, upload it to OneDrive, insert or paste a sharing link into your email, and set permissions for the intended recipients. The file stays in OneDrive rather than being included in the email attachment payload, but recipients can open it only if the link’s access settings and any organization policies allow them to.
Share a OneDrive link in an Outlook email
- Upload the file to OneDrive. Make sure it has finished uploading before you share it.
- Start your Outlook message. Create a new email, reply, or forward.
- Add the file as a link. Depending on your Outlook version, use the attachment picker to select the OneDrive file and choose the link option, or copy the sharing link in OneDrive and paste it into the message. Microsoft documents both approaches in its Outlook attachment guidance and OneDrive sharing guidance.
- Set and check access before sending. Choose who can open the link and whether they can edit, then check for an Outlook warning about recipients who may not have access.
Choose who can open the file
Use the narrowest link scope that works for the audience. OneDrive may offer access for specific people, people in your organization, or anyone with the link. Work or school administrators can disable some options, so the choices in your account may differ. Microsoft describes these link scopes in its OneDrive sharing instructions.
- Specific people: Best for a defined set of recipients. People outside the selected list may not be able to open the file.
- People in your organization: Useful for internal sharing when the option is available; it does not grant access to external recipients.
- Anyone with the link: Convenient when recipients should not need to be individually selected, but the link can be forwarded. Anyone who obtains it may be able to access the file, subject to the link’s settings.
Choose view access unless recipients need to change the shared file. Depending on the account and link type, the permissions dialog may also offer controls such as blocking downloads, setting an expiration date, or requiring a password; availability is not universal. If you paste a link into an Outlook message, Outlook may initially apply your organization’s configured default. Open the link’s permission dialog to review or change the setting before sending.
Check Outlook’s recipient-access warning
Outlook can flag recipients who may not be able to open a linked OneDrive or SharePoint file and offer options to manage access or attach a copy. Do not ignore the warning: the recipient may lack permission because the link is restricted to other people, the file is in a location they cannot access, or an organization’s sharing policy blocks access. Review the warning and select an access option that fits the intended audience. Microsoft explains this behavior in its Outlook file-sharing guidance.
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Choose a link or an attached copy
A OneDrive link points recipients to the cloud file. If you instead attach a copy, recipients get a separate version: changes they make to that attachment do not synchronize with the OneDrive original. Use a copy when recipients need a standalone file rather than access to the live cloud version. Outlook’s cloud-file choices are described in Microsoft’s attachment instructions.
Change or revoke access after sending
To review a shared file’s permissions later, open OneDrive and use Manage access. Depending on the link and account, you can review people and links with access, change permissions, or disable a link. Microsoft’s instructions for changing or stopping sharing describe these controls. Removing or changing a link can prevent recipients from opening it, so check that the new access is appropriate before you notify them.
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- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
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Understand Outlook’s size limits
Email attachment limits depend on the Outlook product and account. Microsoft’s general large-file guidance gives a 20 MB limit for internet email accounts and a default 10 MB limit for Exchange business accounts, counting message content and attachments. Separately, Microsoft’s Outlook.com known-issue page states a 25 MB email limit and a 2 GB limit for a linked OneDrive file. These figures come from different Microsoft support contexts and should not be treated as universal limits. Check your current Outlook product and mailbox policy if a file or message is rejected.
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| Microsoft support context | Stated limit | What the figure applies to |
|---|---|---|
| General large-file guidance | 20 MB for internet email accounts; 10 MB default for Exchange business accounts | Email attachments, including message content and attachments; the Exchange figure is described as a default. |
| Outlook.com known-issue page | 25 MB email limit; 2 GB linked OneDrive file limit | Outlook.com email and its linked-file context. |
Troubleshoot when someone cannot open the link
- Check the link scope. Confirm that the recipient is included if access is limited to specific people, or belongs to your organization if the link is organization-only.
- Review Manage access. In OneDrive, verify the recipient or link still has permission and that the link has not been disabled.
- Check the organization’s policy. A work or school account may restrict external sharing or remove link options. Ask the account administrator if the needed access setting is unavailable.
- Use a copy if live access is unnecessary. Attach a copy instead, keeping in mind that it will not stay synchronized with the OneDrive original.
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