How to Email Video Clips via Gmail

Written by Jack Lloyd

Last Updated: August 26, 2018 Tested

This wikiHow teaches you how to send a video clip to someone's email address using Gmail. If the video is 25 megabytes or less, you can send it as a normal attachment. If not, you'll need to upload the video to Google Drive and then send the person a link to the video file. You can use either option on both the desktop version and the mobile version of Gmail.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Sending Attached Videos on Mobile

1
Open Gmail. Tap the Gmail app icon, which resembles a red "M" on a white background. Gmail will open to your inbox if you're already logged in.
- If you aren't logged in, enter your email address and password before continuing.
2
Tap the "New"
button. It's a red and white pencil icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen. A new email window will pop up.

Advertisement
3
Tap the paperclip icon. You'll find this in the top-right corner of the screen.
- You may have to tap OK to allow Gmail access to your phone's or tablet's files.
4
Select your video. Tap the video's location (e.g., Camera Roll), find the video that you want to upload, tap it, and then tap Choose.
- On Android, you'll tap Attach files in the menu first.
5
Enter your recipient's email address. Type in the email address of the person to whom you want to send your video clip.
- You can also add a subject by tapping the "Subject" field and typing, as well as body text by tapping the "Compose email" field and then typing in your message.
6
Tap the "Send" arrow. It's the paper plane-shaped icon in the top-right corner of the screen. Doing so will send your email to your recipient with the video attached.
- The person to whom you send the email can open the video in the Gmail app by tapping the video preview at the bottom of the email.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Sending Attached Videos on Desktop

1
Open the Gmail website. Go to https://www.gmail.com/. This will open your Gmail inbox if you're already signed in.
- If you aren't signed in, enter your email address and password before continuing.
2
Click COMPOSE. It's a white button in the upper-left side of your inbox. Doing so opens a new email window.
3
Enter your recipient's email address. Type in the email address of the person to whom you want to send your video clip.
- You can also add a subject by clicking the "Subject" text field and typing, as well as body text by clicking the main email field and then typing in your message.
4
Click the paperclip icon. It's near the bottom of the email window.
5
Select a file location. Click the folder in which your video is stored on the left side of the window.
6
Select your video. Click the video that you want to upload.
7
Click Open. It's in the bottom-right corner of the window. Doing so will upload the video to your email.
8
Click Send. This blue button is in the bottom-left corner of the email window. Clicking it will send your email with the video attached to the recipient.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Sending Google Drive Videos on Mobile

1
Upload the video to Google Drive. Depending on whether the video is on your computer or your phone/tablet, this process will vary:
- Mobile - Open the Google Drive app, tap +, tap Upload, select Photos and Videos, select your video's location, tap your video, and tap UPLOAD.
- Desktop - Go to https://drive.google.com/ and sign in if necessary, click NEW, click File Upload, select your video's location, click your video, and click Open.
2
Open Gmail. Tap the Gmail app icon, which resembles a red "M" on a white background. This will open your Gmail inbox.
- If you aren't already logged into Gmail, enter your email address and password before continuing.
3
Tap the "New"
button. It's a red and white pencil icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen. A new email window will pop up.
4
Tap the paperclip icon. You'll find this in the top-right corner of the screen.
5
Select your video. Tap the Drive option (you may need to scroll down first) and tap the video.
- On Android, tap Insert from Drive in the drop-down menu, tap the video that you want to use, and tap SELECT.
6
Tap the "Send" arrow. It's the paper plane-shaped icon in the top-right corner of the screen.
7
Tap CONTINUE if prompted. If you've never sent this particular file to anyone, this will make sure that your recipient has permission to view the video that you send them.
- On Android, check the "Can view" box and then tap Send if prompted.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Sending Google Drive Videos on Desktop

1
Upload the video to Google Drive. Depending on whether the video is on your computer or your phone/tablet, this process will vary:
- Desktop - Go to https://drive.google.com/ and sign in if necessary, click NEW, click File Upload, select your video's location, click your video, and click Open.
- Mobile - Open the Google Drive app, tap +, tap Upload, select Photos and Videos, select your video's location, tap your video, and tap UPLOAD.
2
Open the Gmail website. Go to https://www.gmail.com/. This will open your Gmail inbox if you're already signed in.
- If you aren't signed in, enter your email address and password before continuing.
3
Click COMPOSE. It's a white button in the upper-left side of the inbox. A new email window will open.
4
Enter your recipient's email address. Type in the email address of the person to whom you want to send your video clip.
- You can also add a subject by clicking the "Subject" text field and typing, as well as body text by clicking the main email field and then typing in your message.
5
Click the Google Drive icon. It's the triangle-shaped Drive logo at the bottom of the email window. Doing so will open a Drive window.
6
Select your video. Click the video that you want to send to your recipient.
7
Click Insert. It's a blue button in the bottom-left corner of the window.
8
Click Send. This blue button is in the bottom-left corner of the email window.
9
Click Share & send if prompted. Doing so will ensure that your recipient can view the video file after they receive it.
- If you aren't prompted to do this, don't worry about this step.

Community Q&A

Question

If I share a video from Google Drive will the recipient be able to view everything on my drive or just the video?

Community Answer

Just the video you've shared.
Question

Why can't the recipient download the video clip sent via Drive? They can view it but not download.

Community Answer

Usually this is due to the permissions you have set for the file. In order to enable downloading, you should go to "Share" and type in the email of your recipient(s). Once you have done that, set their permissions to "Can Edit". They should be able to download the file now.
Question

How do I view videos on my Gmail account?

Community Answer

When someone sends you a video, it will come up either as a link or an icon. Either way, you can click on it and play the video.