For most businesses, email is the go-to method for communicating with teams. After all, it’s easy to send a quick email whether you need to place an order for lunch or want to share meeting minutes with your team. But when it comes to sending large files, it can be a little bit more difficult.
Luckily, there are a number of ways to easily and quickly share large files with colleagues. From cloud storage apps to dedicated file transfer services, there are many different options available. Here are 10 great ways to send large files, from the simplest (Google Drive) to the most complicated (a courier and a USB flash drive).
1. Use Google Drive
The easiest way to share files with coworkers is to simply upload them to a cloud storage app like Google Drive and then send your recipient a link to the file. You can do this via Gmail, Slack, or any other communications app you’re using. Plus, if you have a Gmail account you get 15 GB of free storage, so there’s no shortage of space for the largest files!
2. Use Dropbox
Similar to Google Drive, you can share large files with colleagues by uploading them to the Dropbox app and then delivering a link via an email or text message. There are a few things to keep in mind with this option though. First, if you don’t already have Dropbox, you’ll need to sign up for an account and then purchase some storage space. Second, if you’re a heavy Dropbox user, it can cause strain on your device storage. You may want to consider upgrading to a more expensive plan or switching to another cloud storage app.
3. Use a VPN
A virtual private network (VPN) is a tool that can protect your data and add a layer of security when you’re online by routing your internet connection through a server. This can be especially useful if you frequently use public wi-fi and want to reduce the risk of hacking or data theft. However, some ISPs have been known to use broadband traffic management and can throttle your upload bandwidth, so this might not be the best option for sharing larger files.
4. Use a messaging app
There are a few messaging apps that make it easy to send and receive large files, including Telegram. This app has 700 million users worldwide and supports transfers up to 4 GB in size. It also allows you to split up files or compress them with zip systems to speed up transfer times.
5. Use a peer-to-peer sharing app
There’s no shortage of peer-to-peer file sharing apps, but some are better than others for sending large files. For example, ToffeeShare is a simple and fast solution. You can upload a file and then email or text a link to your colleague, who can access the file with their own browser or download it directly from your website. Best of all, you don’t need any accounts or any additional software.