A Complete Guide for Sharing Massive Videos Online
Have you ever scrambled to meet a video editing deadline, only to find your progress halted by size restrictions when emailing the final large file to a client? Or tried to collaborate with a remote team on ultra HD footage, frustrated as the long upload failed yet again?
I‘ve faced these issues more times than I can count!
But after years mastering video data transfers, I‘m excited to distill that hard-won knowledge here to help fellow creators. In this guide, we‘ll conquer the common struggle of sending enormous video files smoothly online.
Follow my battle-tested tips to seamlessly share even 1GB+ videos in minutes using platforms like Google Drive and WeTransfer.
And rather than just providing dry technical steps, I‘ll walk through real examples using actual test footage so you can see these solutions in action.
Let‘s get started!
Video Sizes Are Ballooning as Quality Skyrockets
First, a quick history lesson that explains the root of today‘s massive video file sizes…
Over the past decade, camera and display resolution has steadily marched higher, bringing us HD to 4K to 8K standards. 1080p HD clocks in around 2 megapixels per frame while 4K quadruples that to over 8 megapixels. And the emerging 8K format? A mammoth 32 megapixels per fame!
With more pixel density comes much larger file sizes. Here‘s a comparison of estimated sizes for video formats:
| Format | Size Per Minute | Size Per Hour |
|---|---|---|
| 480p SD | 60 MB | 3.6 GB |
| 1080p HD | 350 MB | 21 GB |
| 4K UHD | 1,800 MB | 108 GB |
| 8K UHD | 9,000 MB | 540 GB!!! |
As you see, modern 4K and 8K productions generate enormous amounts of data. Even short 5-10 minute test clips can easily exceed email‘s dinky size allowances.
This surge in rich digital footage means video editors increasingly battle email constraints when reviewing edits with clients and collaborators.
The same goes for videographers sharing raw clips from shoots. Review and approval becomes extremely difficult when your files trigger ugly bounce back errors rather than sending successfully!
Real-World Examples of Pushing Email Limits
To make things more concrete, here are some real examples from my own experience bumping into size restrictions:
1. Zoom Call Recording for Client
I recorded a one hour Zoom video call at 1080p to walk a new client through our editing services and portfolio. The MP4 exported out around 25GB. No bueno for sending through Gmail!
2. Episode Edits for YouTube Show
An episode edit of my 4K YouTube show clocked in around 30GB. I had to get creative figuring out how to share cuts with my co-hosts to approve before publishing.
3. 8K Test Footage from New Camera
I recently invested in a cutting-edge 8K camcorder and needed to share some short test clips shot around town with fellow shooter friends. The quality was incredible but at over 15GB for just 10 minutes, email was obviously off the table!
In all these cases, I needed to use alternative solutions like Google Drive or WeTransfer designed for large transfers. We‘ll explore the step-by-step process, but first, let‘s examine why email falls short.
The Email Roadblock – Strict Limits on Attachment Size
While video sizes swell into the many gigabytes, email services impose paltry attachments limits that seem frozen in time from the dial-up modem era!
Here are the filesize caps for popular email platforms:
| Email Service | Attachment Limit |
|---|---|
| Gmail | 25 MB |
| Outlook/Hotmail | 25 MB |
| Yahoo Mail | 25 MB |
| Apple Mail | 20 MB |
As you can see, services allow attachments between 20-25MB tops before message rejection.
Some providers allow chunking larger files into multiple attachments totaling 30-50MB. But that still doesn‘t cut it for 1GB+ video projects routinely seen nowadays.
Exceeding limits triggers bounced messages and failed delivery frustration without clear recourse on recovering the lost data!
Thankfully third party services swoop in to save the day…next we‘ll explore handy video sharing options that escape email prison.
Route 1: Sharing Videos Securely via Google Drive
One way around email limits is uploading videos privately to Google Drive then sharing view access rather than attaching the files directly.
This method keeps your original high quality videos safely stored in your own cloud account while letting collaborators stream the playback.
Step 1 – Upload Video Files to Google Drive
First, install the Backup and Sync desktop app to connect your PC folder to Google Drive for easy drag and drop video uploads.
Or navigate directly to drive.google.com in any web browser then click New > File Upload. Select your oversize videos from local folders.
Drive will rapidly chunk upload even large videos with typical speeds as follows:
| Video Size | Upload Time |
|---|---|
| 100MB | < 1 minute |
| 500MB | 1-2 minutes |
| 1GB | 2-4 minutes |
| 5GB | 8-10 minutes |
Actual duration depends on your internet connection and Drive activity at the moment.
I transferred a 5.3GB MP4 video on my 100 Mbps fiber connection in just over 9 minutes. Pretty swift!
Step 2 – Tweak Google Drive Sharing Settings
Click the 3-dot menu icon next to any uploaded video then choose "Share" to pull up sharing options.
Start by toggling link sharing to "On" – this generates a public link for access.
Next consider which additional permissions to enable like:
- Allow viewers to download, comment, or edit access
- Disable options to prevent others from copying without permission
Tap "Advanced" to limit access to users within your GSuite organization or whitelist specific email addresses.
These granular settings let you dial in exactly how much visibility to grant collaborators. Customization is key when reviews require security.
Step 3 – Copy and Share Video Links
Still on the Sharing page, highlight and manually copy the link under "Link Sharing Enabled".
Paste this public link into emails, chats or doc links to provide instant video access without burdensome attachments gumming up the works!
Recipients simply click the link to play your footage right in the browser or download locally if you permitted that option.
And voila, you‘ve circumvented pesky email size limits by sharing access through Google Drive instead!
Route 2 – Leverage WeTransfer for Quick Video Sharing
Alongside Drive, another excellent option I rely on daily is WeTransfer.
This platform focuses purely on transferring files from Point A to Point B regardless of size or type. It‘s specialized for sharing stuff too bulky for email.
WeTransfer is super simple to use even without an account. But I suggest registering your email which unlocks useful features.
The free plan supports sending 2GB per transfer. WeTransfer Plus allows 20GB individual file sizes for $12/month – pricier but ideal for ultra HD footage.
Let‘s break down sending oversized videos through WeTransfer:
Step 1 – Visit WeTransfer and Initiate Send
Navigate to wetransfer.com and click the prominently placed "Send a file" button to kickstart your transfer.
Log into your account if registered. The subsequent popup asks who and what you‘re sending.
Step 2 – Upload Video + Add Message
Click "Add your files" to search and select videos from your local folders. UX guides clearly indicate file count and total size as you build your bundle.
Next enter recipient names or email addresses for folks needing access.
You can customize permissions too – disable downloads to prevent unauthorized copies or enable password protection for an extra later of security.
After attaching files, add an optional message for additional context to the video delivery. Embed links for reference or paste in timestamps from the footage to review.
Keep tabs on overall progress both uploading locally and sending remotely. Bandwidth determines speeds but WeTransfer uploads quick thanks to optimized transfer protocols.
Step 3 – Finalize Transfer
Once videos complete upload, review all data before hitting the prominent blue Transfer button to seal the deal!
Confirm your chosen files, recipients, and messages contain what you expect. Provided everything checks out, finalize sending process.
At this point, WeTransfer takes over – delivering video links directly to the desired inboxes. An email opens access to stream or download files as convenient.
You‘ll receive a confirmation page displaying vid identifiers, expected completion time, and other transfer details. Well done!
WeTransfer vs Google Drive Video Sharing Showdown
Now that we‘ve explored tactics for both heavy hitters, let‘s compare Google Drive vs WeTransfer head-to-head:
| Google Drive | WeTransfer | |
|---|---|---|
| Storage Integrations | Backs up desktop folders automatically | Manual per transfer |
| Free Limit | 15GB shared space | 2GB per transfer |
| Max. File Size | 5TB for paid plans | 2GB free, 20GB for WeTransfer Plus |
| Sharing Mechanism | Public link access | Email send |
| Access Customization | Full suite of permission controls | Optional transfer password |
| Security | Encryption, 2FA, audit logs | Password & disabled download |
The Verdict?
Google Drive makes more sense for teams with shared cloud workspace. Fully configurable sharing settings help fine tune visibility. Native desktop backup streamlines uploading local files.
WeTransfer excels when delivering large assets outside your organization. One-off client transfers or sharing raw footage with other creators often fits better here.
Choose whichever aligns best per scenario! Or utilize both concurrently like I do since the services integrate cleanly.
Bonus Options – Alternative Ways to Share Massive Videos
Beyond Drive and WeTransfer, dozens of apps allow circumventing email size constraints. Here are two worth checking out:
Dropbox – One of the first mainstream cloud services offers 2GB free storage per account. Drag videos here for easy link sharing similar to Drive.
Microsoft OneDrive – Included free with Office 365 subscriptions so likely already available. Share docs, photos, videos up to 100GB each.
There are also video specialized transfer services like MediaFire, Filemail, Hightail WeTransfer focusing purely on quick video movement from Point A to Point B.
Explore based on your unique needs!
Last Resort – Compress Oversize Videos Before You Share
When all else fails, downsample and compress your ultra high def videos to reduce filesize under email ceilings.
Use video editor tools like Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro or free converters. Export at 5-10 Mbps in an email friendly codec like MP4 or MOV. These tweaks condense videos drastically while retaining solid quality.
Test a small section first before compressing and exporting final cuts. You want to walk the line between highest viable stream quality and satisfying attachment limits.
This lets you email the compressed vids directly without needing third party sharing services as a middleman. I resort to this method as a last ditch workaround when clients lack access to tools like Drive or Transfer. Fingers crossed it‘s only needed in a pinch!
Let‘s Recap – 5 Steps to Share Large Videos
We‘ve covered quite a bit of territory! To recap, here is the 5 step master plan for sending massive videos beyond old fashioned email constraints:
-
Format Optimally – Encode exports in MP4, MOV or other web ready codec.
-
Compress Selectively – Downsample huge raw footage if needed to fit email attachments.
-
Upload to Google Drive – Store original quality videos securely in personal cloud account.
-
Share Drive Links – Generate public links for collaborators to stream rather than attaching files directly.
-
Use WeTransfer – Send ad hoc transfers when sharing beyond your organization‘s cloud storage.
Got all that? Now you‘re prepared to beat frustrating bounce backs and failed deliveries!
These reliable tools make transmitting high quality videos painless. I use them daily managing several TB of ever-growing footage across client projects and personal creator content.
Soon you‘ll have the confidence to take on 8K test shoots, long form lecture captures, full quality VR streams and other video use cases abandoned previously as just too cumbersome for sharing!
Let me know if any questions pop up conquering your own file size limitations. Now get out there, capture that ultra HD footage and share it seamlessly with the world! 📽️
Excelsior!
FAQs – Your Top Video Sharing Questions Answered
What causes such massive file sizes with modern video?
Higher camera resolution equals way more visual data. 4K quadruples 1080p HD with over 8MP per frame. And 8K soars to 32MP per video frame resulting in GBs per minute recorded!
What limits attachment size when emailing videos?
Most email platforms enforce 25-50MB total attachment sizes before rejecting messages. Gmail caps individual attachments at 25MB specifically. Some allow multiple files if total fits under ceiling.
What happens if I exceed email size limits?
You‘ll get an immediate annoying bounceback error stopping the send process. Neither you nor recipient will receive the video successfully.
What is the best video format for smooth online sharing?
MP4 using H.264 compression remains the gold standard, striking balance of quality and filesize. Other great options are MOV, MKV, AVI, WMV.
Can I send videos larger than 25MB on Gmail?
Not directly – but upload videos to cloud storage like Google Drive and share view access via public link instead of email attachment. Link forwards to playable footage.
Is Google Drive or WeTransfer better for sharing large videos?
Google Drive makes sense for teams with shared cloud workspace. Configure visibility settings and permissions at granular level. WeTransfer excels for one-off client transfers given higher size limits. Evaluate both tools based on your specific sharing requirements.
What‘s the maximum size file I can send on WeTransfer?
The free WeTransfer tier allows up to 2GB per transfer. Upgrading to WeTransfer Plus for $12 monthly raises this to 20GB per transfer.
How can I easily compress oversize video files?
Use editor tools like Adobe Premiere or Final Cut Pro to export at 5-10 Mbps in MP4/MOV codec. This shrinks videos drastically while retaining quality. Test on small sections first before compressing final files.
What other apps allow sharing videos too large for email?
Top options: Dropbox (2GB free), Microsoft OneDrive (5GB), MediaFire (50GB free), FileMail (10GB), Hightail (100GB for $12/month)
I hope these detailed answers help explain the common struggle and solutions for sending massive video files online! Let me know any other questions.
