How to Send Large Files for Free (Up to 2 GB)
A large attachment should not hold up a conversation. GetMyFiles lets you upload photos, videos and documents, then send one private link through the email or messaging service you already use.
Start with a link, not an attachment
Instead of placing the file itself inside an email, open the GetMyFiles uploader and choose what you want to send. Once the upload finishes, copy the transfer link into your message. Your recipient opens that link and downloads the files directly. They do not need a GetMyFiles account to receive a transfer, and you can start a guest transfer without signing up.
This approach separates delivery from the message carrying it. You can describe the work in an email, discuss it on the phone or share the link in a conversation without attaching the same large file again. Check that you are sending to the correct person: anyone who receives a valid link can access its contents.
Check the free allowance before you upload
Guest and Free transfers support up to 2 GB in total, not 2 GB for each item in a multi-file transfer. A Free account allows 10 transfers a month, and each transfer can contain up to 200 files. Guest transfers also have a 200-file limit and are subject to security rate limits; the account monthly allowance should not be confused with an unrestricted guest quota.
For example, a collection of photos and a short video must fit together within the transfer allowance. Check the total shown by the uploader and remove anything that is not part of the delivery. If your project needs more space, compare the paid plans rather than assuming that putting files in a ZIP will make them small enough.
Prepare files and folders for the recipient
Choose common photos, videos, documents, audio, archives or supported design formats. Executables are not accepted. A supported upload format is not always a supported browser preview: a recipient may need an appropriate application after downloading a professional document or camera file. Tell them which application or file type they should expect if it is unusual.
Folder uploads preserve nested folders, so separate deliverables can stay organised. Original transfer file basenames are replaced with neutral labels such as Photo 1 or Document 2. Folder names remain visible and information inside files is not anonymised. Use clear, non-sensitive folder names, and do not rely on original basenames for instructions or project relinking.
Let the upload finish, then share carefully
Keep the uploader open until the transfer is complete and the link is available. Your connection affects how quickly files arrive; no file-transfer service can promise the same upload time on every network. If an individual file fails, use its retry control. Keep your original copies and avoid treating an upload as a replacement for your own backup.
GetMyFiles links contain unguessable tokens. That makes them unsuitable for casual guessing, but it does not identify the person opening them. Keep the link out of public posts when the files are private. Filename anonymisation reduces information in labels; it does not remove information from a photograph, document or the folders you send.
Give recipients enough time to download
Guest and Free links last 7 days. When creating a transfer, Tier 1 can choose expiry up to 30 days, Tier 2 up to 1 year, and Unlimited can choose never to expire. Changing account settings does not extend an existing link.
Include the deadline in your message and encourage recipients to save the files before it passes. Recipients can download individual files or eligible folder and full-transfer ZIP archives. ZIPs preserve the nested structure with generated filenames. Very large archives can exceed ZIP limits, so individual downloads may be needed. Supported previews help people inspect a file, but downloading is the step that gives them their own copy.
When a paid plan is the better fit
Tier 1 allows 10 GB per transfer and 100 transfers a month; Tier 2 allows 50 GB per transfer and 1,000 transfers a month. Unlimited removes application-level total-transfer and transfer-count caps, but all plans still have infrastructure, file-count and fair-use restrictions. The current paid individual-file ceiling is 5 GB. Check the live uploader and Plans page before preparing a particularly large job.
Tier 1 is £8.99/month or £89/year; Tier 2 is £14.99/month or £149/year; Unlimited is £24.99/month or £249/year.
Common questions
- Can I send 2 GB without an account?
- Yes. A guest transfer can contain up to 2 GB and expires after 7 days. Security rate limits and the 200-file limit still apply.
- Does making a ZIP increase my free allowance?
- No. The 2 GB allowance applies to the total uploaded data. Already compressed photos and videos may not become substantially smaller in a ZIP.
- Can my recipient download without signing up?
- Yes. A recipient can download from a valid transfer link without a GetMyFiles account.