Need help? It takes three steps.
How to send files, how to open files someone sent you, and what to do when something doesn’t work.
I want to send files Someone sent me files Something isn’t working
How to send files
-
Add your files
On the home page, tap the big box and choose your photos, videos or documents (up to 20 GB in total). On a computer you can also drag them onto the box.
-
Choose how to send
Get a link: you get a link to share yourself, on WhatsApp, in a text message or anywhere.
Send by email: type their email address (tap + Add for each extra person) and your own. We email them the link.
A message and a password are optional.
-
Press “Get link” or “Send”
Wait until it says Your transfer is ready. Keep the page open while the files upload.
Then tap Copy link and paste it to the person, or tap WhatsApp or Email it. They can also scan the QR code with their phone camera.
How to open files someone sent you
-
Tap the link
Open the link from the message or email. You don’t need an app or an account.
Got a code instead of a link? Go to sharelargefilesfree.com/receive and type it in.
-
Tap “Download”
Tap Preview first if you only want to look. Several files download together as one ZIP file.
-
Find the file
iPhone or iPad: open the Files app → Downloads. To put a photo or video in Photos, open it and tap Share → Save Image or Save Video.
Android: open the Files app (or My Files) → Downloads. Photos and videos also appear in your Gallery.
Computer: open your Downloads folder.
More things you can do
Ask other people to send files to you
Make a file request and share its link. You can list the files you need, set a due date, give each person their own link with automatic reminders, and approve each file or ask for it again. How file requests work.
Send from Gmail or Outlook
Add the free browser extension (Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari) or the Outlook add-in: a Large files button appears in the email you are writing and puts the download link in it. Get the extension and add-in.
Look at a file before downloading it
The download page shows previews: videos play (even HEVC, MKV or AVI files), photos show as thumbnails, and audio plays with a waveform you can comment on at a set time. Word, Excel and PowerPoint files can be read in the page too.
Send to my own phone or computer without uploading
Open Send via Wi-Fi on both devices. On the same Wi-Fi they find each other; on different networks, pair them with the code shown on the screen.
Share transfers with my colleagues
Create a team and invite people. Each person gets a role: Admin, Editor, Uploader, Reviewer or Viewer.
Something isn’t working
I can’t find the file I downloaded
It is in the Downloads folder of the phone or computer you used. On iPhone: Files app → Downloads. On Android: Files app → Downloads. ZIP files open when you tap them in those apps.
My file is too big
Make it smaller first with a free tool: Compress video, Compress PDF or Compress image. Or cut it into parts with Split file and send them one by one.
The person didn’t get my email
Ask them to look in their spam or junk folder, and check that you typed their address correctly. You can always send the link yourself instead: choose Get a link and share it on WhatsApp or in a message.
The link says it has expired
Links stop working after a while and the files are deleted. Ask the sender to send the files again.
The upload stopped or my phone went to sleep
Open the page again and add the same files: the upload carries on from where it stopped. Keep the page open and the screen on until it says Your transfer is ready.
It asks for a password
The sender protected the files. Ask them for the password; they usually send it separately.
Still stuck? Read our guides or write to us.