attach email google drive geekact

Now you can get rid of those 25 Mb Gmail and 20 Mb other web mails attachment limits. Send your file by attaching it via your own Google Drive account, that too in just seconds. There is no rocket science involved in this one. Most beneficial feature of this method is, you can send it to any web mail client. May it be Rediff, Yahoo, Live, etc. They will just need to login to their Google account to download it.

Let’s see how to do this simple thing;

1. Compose a new mail and then click on attachments.
2. Browse to your file and select the file you want to send via mail. I am considering that your file is above 25 Mb. Alternatively, there is a button ‘Attach using Google Drive’ which will not need to any warnings.
3. As soon you will attach your file, you will be warned by Gmail that this file can’t be attached due to size limits but you can do it using Google Drive.

attach email google drive geekact

4. Click ‘Send using Google Drive’. Another pop-up will appear. You can either browse to your file or directly Drag and Drop.
5. No click ‘Upload’ button present in bottom of dialog box. File will start uploading and you will see the status. Notice the highlighted areas in the screenshot.

large attach gmail geekact

6. When the upload is done, you will be back to you compose message/e-mail screen with the attached file.

large file attached email google drive geekact

7. Click the file link to see it’s information and manage the permissions for the file. Click ‘Share’ option present under your name. You will get a screen to change file sharing permissions. Click on ‘Change’ to get to next screen.

change gmail attached file_permission drive

8. Change the permissions as per need. It can be email ID based or Open to public. It’s actually a good idea to use second option ‘Anyone with the link‘. It doesn’t open file with everyone. Hit Save.

changed attached file permission google drive geekact

9. You will be brought back to Compose Screen. Fill in your ‘To’ and ‘Subject’ fields. You can now send this file to any gmail or non-gmail user.
10. When the recipient receives this email and opens the attachment he / she will be directed to download page which will have a link to download the file with it’s information.

attached file info google drive geekact

11. From here it will depend on the permissions you gave to file and recipient. If it’s open for everyone then clicking on attachment will take the user to download page or he / she may be need to login if restriction is by Id’s or Google accounts. When someone will not have access to sent file then they will receive ‘Not Permitted’ screen. However, they can request access back to you.

permission management google drive attachment

PROS:

1. Large file can be send by email without copy-pasting links.
2. File can be sent to any kind of mail user.
3. Permissions can be set on a file on criteria of specific emails, Public, or Google accounts, etc .
4. No worries of file deletion after some period. It stays in Drive even after the mail is deleted.
5. Any time retrieval using Google Drive or same email.

CONS:

1. Strictly saying, it is not an attachment. It’s like uploading and sharing links (with security). Google Drive with Gmail just makes it automated.
2. You have to delete file from Google Drive. They will not get deleted when you delete email which typically happens in email.
3. Non Gmail users still need proper permissions to be able to download the file. If it’s Google Ids based permissions then such users still need to login to Google accounts.
4. Virus checks fails on such files because of their size and many supported/unrecognized file types.

Comments and problems are welcome!

By Mrinal Buddekar

Data Manager and a technology enthusiast! Mrinal Buddekar is Pune based blogger who loves building server, websites, technology, and affiliate blogging.

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