
You’ve probably been in this situation before – you try to send an email with a large attachment, and you get the dreaded “message size exceeds limit” error.
Hotmail has a strict limit on the size of attachments that you can send, which often catches people by surprise. But don’t worry!
We want to help you overcome this obstacle and continue sending emails with large attachments. So, in this article, we will be discussing everything related to Hotmail attachment limit and ways to get your files across, so read on!
Attachment Size Limit For Hotmail
Some email service providers have a maximum attachment size limit, making sending or receiving large files difficult. Hotmail is one of those providers, with a limit of 10 MB for attachments.
How To Send Files Bigger Than Attachment Limit on Hotmail?
There are times when you need to send files that are too large to be attached directly to your email.
Use Cloud Storage
You can upload the files to DropBox or Google Drive and include the download link in your email.
This way, your recipient can download the file from the cloud storage services without going through the hassle of attaching it to the email.
Zip The File
Another option is to use a zip file. It will compress the file, making it smaller and allowing you to attach it to your email. Here’s a quick tutorial:
- Create a new folder and right-click on it.
- From the drop-down list, select ‘send to’ and then select ‘Compressed (zipped) folder.’

Why Is There An Attachment Size Limit On Hotmail?
The attachment size limit is two-fold: It helps to keep Hotmail’s servers from being overloaded with large attachments, making it lag. Secondly, it prevents users from accidentally sending or receiving huge files.
What Is the Attachment Size Limit For Microsoft 365 (Premium Microsoft Offering)?
When you are a Microsoft 365 (Premium) subscriber, you can enjoy several benefits, including an attachment size limit of 150 MB. It is an excellent feature for those who need to regularly send or receive large files as it eliminates the need to use third-party services like Dropbox or Google Drive.
What Are The Attachment Limits For Hotmail’s Rivals?
Regarding attachment limits, Hotmail lags behind its main rivals, Gmail and Yahoo. AOL, Gmail, and Yahoo have the same limit of 25MB, whereas, with Yahoo mail, you can get unlimited attachment sizes when using dropbox. In the case of Mail.com, you can enjoy 50MB per attachment and 10MB per file.
Alternative Option: Use A Cloud Service and Get Download Link
If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to send files as email attachments, using a cloud service is a great option.
Services like Dropbox, iCloud, and Google Drive all offer the ability to share files with others, and you can even get a download link to send in an email.
Simply select the file or folder you want to share, click the Share button, and choose to Get Link.
You can then copy and paste that link into your email. If you’re going to give someone specific access to a file or folder, you can also add their email address under the Access tab.