How to Send a Video Through Email in 2024 

Sharing a sales video or a project update? One of your first choices is probably email - it’s easy, convenient, and familiar.

However, video files can be tricky to send due to size limits and compatibility issues. No worries, though—there are some smart ways to share your videos via email.

Learn how to send videos via email:

• Attach Directly: For small videos.

• YouTube Link: Embed a YouTube link with a thumbnail.

• Compress: Zip the video or use compression tools.

• Cloud Storage: Upload to Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive and share the link.

• Use Tella: Share videos with a Tella thumbnail link.

How do I send videos in an email?

Here are some easy methods to send a video through email.

Send as an attachment 

Attaching videos directly to emails is easy. You just need to pay attention to file size limits. To start, open Gmail or Outlook and start a new email. Click on the paperclip icon to attach your video.

Just make sure the file size sticks within the 25 MB limit for Gmail and 20 MB for Outlook. You can see the video size beside the attached link.

Attaching videos is convenient for smaller files and allows recipients to download and view them offline. For larger files, you'll need to use other methods.

Share videos via a YouTube link

Did you know that emails with videos often get flagged as spam? To avoid this, best would be to use an email spam checker tool, but a good workaround is to simply use a YouTube thumbnail that links to the video. This makes the video less likely to be overlooked.

You might be thinking - YouTube automatically creates thumbnails for your videos. When you copy a YouTube link into an email, Gmail includes the video thumbnail at the bottom of the email.

However, you can also embed a YouTube video in an email with a clickable image, which makes it stand out a bit more. To get started, take a screenshot of the video you want to share or download its thumbnail.

Next, use an editing tool to create an eye-catching thumbnail. Canva has a page dedicated to this.

You can add a Play icon to the screenshot or thumbnail to make it look like a video player.

Next, open Gmail and start writing out a new email. Add a screenshot of your thumbnail, or upload it.

Open the YouTube video you want to share, click Share beneath the video, and copy the URL. Highlight the uploaded image in your email. Make sure it looks like this:

Press CMD + K (Mac) or CTRL + K (Windows) to add the link to the image. Hit Change. 

Next, paste the YouTube URL in the link dialogue box and click OK. 

When recipients click on the image, they'll be taken to the YouTube video.

Compress the video

Compressing a video reduces its file size while keeping the quality intact, making it easier to email. There are a couple of ways to do this. 

Zip it

You can zip files on both Mac and Windows:

Mac

1. Find the video file in Finder.

2. Right-click on the file.

3. Select Compress [filename] from the context menu.

4. A ZIP file will be created in the same location as the original.

Windows

1. Find the video file in File Explorer.

2. Right-click on the file.

3. Hover over Send to and select Compressed (zipped) folder from the submenu.

4. A ZIP archive will be created in the same directory as the video.

Attach the ZIP file by clicking the paperclip icon in your email client and selecting the ZIP file from your computer.

Other ways to compress a video

• Convert the format: Use tools like Handbrake or iMovie to convert your video to MP4 with the H.265 (HEVC) codec for better compression.

• Trim the video: Cut out unnecessary bits with video editing tools like Tella to reduce file size.

• Reduce resolution: Lower the resolution, like reducing it to 720p for social media, using editing software.

• Adjust bitrate: Decrease the bitrate in your video settings; aim for 8 Mbps for 1080p and 5 Mbps for 720p.

• Use online compressors: Try tools like Cloud Convert to compress videos easily without additional software.

Compression is key for high-quality videos that are too big for email size limits. It helps ensure faster upload and download times. This is especially handy for videos you send often or to many people.

Use cloud storage services

Cloud storage services like Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive are great for sharing large video files via email with secure private access.

Sign in to one of these services and upload your video file by dragging and dropping it or using the upload button. For example, in Google Drive, hit New and then File Upload.

Once uploaded, click Share to generate a shareable link.

Make sure the link’s settings allow your recipients to view the video. You can also access quick sharing options to copy the link as a whole or at a specific time in it. 

Finally, open your email and insert the shareable link. 

Cloud storage services make it easy to share large video files without attachment size limits and offer extra security features like password protection and expiration dates for links.

Use Tella to email videos

To keep it simple, use Tella to email your videos. With a few clicks, you can share your video as a thumbnail with a link via email.

Just finish editing in Tella, then click the Share button and select the Email option.

You can choose between a static or animated GIF thumbnail. Once you’re ready, hit Copy Content. 

Paste the thumbnail into your email, and send your video off. Your recipients simply have to click it to watch your video.

With Tella, sharing videos is quick and hassle-free. Plus, the animated GIF thumbnail gives a sneak peek of the video, making it a bit more interesting and encouraging people to click and watch the whole thing.

FAQs

How do I email a video that is too large?

To email a large video, upload it to Google Drive, Airdrop, iCloud, Dropbox, OneDrive, WeTransfer, or Box and share the link. You can also reduce the resolution or frame rate to make the video file smaller.

What's the longest video you can send via email?

The longest video you can send via email depends on the email client. Gmail lets you send videos up to 25 MB on a computer or iPhone and up to 20 MB on Android. Zoho allows up to 25 MB for users with a free plan.

What is the easiest way to send a video to someone?

The easiest way to send a video is by using cloud storage services like Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive. Upload your video to one of these platforms and create a shareable link.

For a simpler option, use Tella to record and share your video directly via email. This lets others view your video without worrying about email attachment limits.

How do I compress a video to send via email?

To compress a video for email, create a ZIP file, use a cloud service like Google Drive to share the link, or lower the resolution and bitrate with tools like HandBrake. Trimming unnecessary parts and using MP4 format can also make the file smaller and easier to send.

How do you send a video by email?

To send a video by email, click the paperclip icon to attach a file. Find and select your video. Gmail has a 25 MB limit, so if it's too big, use a cloud service to share a link. In Outlook, click "Attach File" or the paperclip icon and choose your video.

Closing thoughts

Next time you need to send a video via email, try these methods out. Need to send a big company update? Try using a cloud storage service to create a shareable link.

Maybe you've got a short product demo to send out—consider using Tella to quickly record and share your video. Bottom line - you've got plenty of options at your disposal.