In my line of work, I often have to send large files. How many times have you tried to email a file and get the message that it is too large? I find it to be completely frustrating to be limited by email size limitations. Not only am I limited in file sizes that I can send; I'm also limited by the file size of the emails in my inbox or sent mail. Fortunately, there are some other options available. For those in the Chicago area, you have access to one of the best companies, Infiniwiz, to help with ways to combat limitations on sending large files. We have created this YouTube video to help you navigate the problems when you have to send large files by giving you five ways to handle those large files.
Use Cloud Storage
When it comes to handling large files, a good option is to get them off of your network and into the cloud. There are multiple options available, such as Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox. They are the simplest and most competitive ways to send large files. Your email provider may already be set up to use a specific cloud service. Gmail uses Google Drive, and Outlook.com uses OneDrive. Gmail makes it simple to use Google Drive directly from an email because they have put the Google Drive button on the bottom of the email close to the send button. You are able to send it as a regular attachment, but it's in Google Drive. Google Drive has an upload file size limit of 5TB as long as the file hasn't been converted to Google docs, sheets, or slides. Dropbox gives you the ability to send large files by uploading them and sending a link to your intended recipient. That link can be sent through email or text. They allow you 2 GB of storage for free, but you can upgrade to 1 TB for $9.99 a month.
Sharefile Outlook integration
Sharefile is a suite of streamlined file transfer features that offer a secure way to send large files. The best part of Sharefile is its ability to integrate with Outlook to provide authentication, permissions, and encryption for files that you send with outlook. Your documents are archived, monitored and protected with a password all while keeping you in control of your access and settings. The Sharefile integration is easy to use by simply dragging and dropping the file you would like to send. Sharefile offers multiple service tiers to fit into anyone's budget.
Online Services
You will find many online services that are free to help you upload large files in an easy and fast manner. One such application is Jumpshare, which allows you to create a free account and transfer 250 MB with that account. All you have to do is upload a file and then you have a link to share the files. You can also download the application icon on your desktop. You are able to drag and drop the file directly to the icon. The link to that file is copied to your clipboard. Anyone can view the link, even if they don't have an account. A similar service is called Securely Send. This application allows you to send up to 2 GB for free by using their platform. You create an email, upload a file and click Send. You are able to track when the file has been delivered and reviewed.
File Compression Software to Send Large Files
In the case of having many files to send, you should think about compressing them with file compression software. A product like 7 Zip is free and can compress many files at one time. Files that have been zipped help save time and space and typically retain all data. Zipped files can be password protected so they can be sent via email. With most operating systems, additional applications are not needed to extract the zip files. 7 Zip is available for all platforms including Mac, Linux, and Windows.
Secure File Transfer to Send Large Files
Infiniwiz has a secure file transfer appliance that can be used by those in the Chicago area. For a quick solution to send large files, give Infiniwiz a call and we can log into your computer to grab the file and use their secure file transfer appliance to send it to wherever you need it to go. Infiniwiz can provide solutions for any of your large files.