Most mail servers limit the size of an email to a maximum of 20 MB. However, this limit applies not only to the attachment, but also to additional technical information (e.g. coding and headers) that is automatically added when the email is sent.
The attachment should not be larger than approx. 14 MB so that the entire e-mail remains under the 20 MB limit.
Tips for reducing the size of large attachments
– Compress file (ZIP)
Convert the attachment into a ZIP file. This often reduces the size, especially for documents and images.
– Reduce the size of images or save them in a different format
e.g. from TIFF to JPG, reduce resolution or save PDF with a smaller file size. e.g. from TIFF to JPG, reduce resolution or create PDF with lower quality.
– Optimize documents
Select “Optimize for web” or “Reduce file size” in PDF programs.
– Remove unused content
e.g. embedded graphics or unused images. e.g. delete embedded graphics or unnecessary pages.
– Use cloud storage
For very large files, it is better to send a download link instead of sending the file directly by email.