Built-in ways to send large files on a Mac, and their limits
| Method | Size | Who can receive | Catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| AirDrop | No published limit | Nearby iPhone, iPad, Mac; some recent Android phones via Quick Share | Must be close by, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on |
| Mail Drop in Apple Mail | Up to 5 GB per message | Anyone with email | Link kept 30 days; 1 TB Mail Drop cap |
| iCloud Drive link | Your iCloud storage (5 GB free) | Anyone with the link | Uses your storage until you remove it |
| Apple Mail attachment (iCloud Mail) | 20 MB per message | Anyone | Larger files switch to Mail Drop |
| External drive | Drive capacity | Whoever you hand it to | Format must suit Windows too (exFAT) |
| Transfr link | 100 GB per transfer free, unlimited on Pro | Anyone, any device | Free links last up to 7 days |
AirDrop is the quickest way between your own Apple devices in the same room. Mail Drop is convenient under 5 GB if you use Apple Mail. For video projects, photo shoots, recipients on Windows, or anyone not next to you, a transfer link is the more general answer.
How to send large files from a Mac with Transfr
Step 1
Open transfr.me
In Safari, Chrome, Firefox or Arc, go to transfr.me. There is nothing to install.
Step 2
Drag files or folders from Finder
Drop them onto the page. Folders keep their structure (unless you turn on end-to-end encryption), so a project with subfolders arrives organised. Up to 100 GB per transfer.
Step 3
Choose Email or Link
Email sends a download message to up to 10 people; Link gives you a URL to paste in Mail, Slack, Messages or WhatsApp.
Step 4
Set the options
Expiry (1 to 7 days free, up to 60 on Pro), password, download limit, optional end-to-end encryption, and the storage region.
Step 5
Let the upload finish
Keep the tab open. For very large uploads, prevent sleep (plug in the charger) and prefer Ethernet or a strong Wi-Fi signal.
Drag, drop, send
Folders and files up to 100 GB, free and without sign-up.
How long will a big upload take from a Mac?
Your upload speed decides, not the Mac. Approximate times for the whole transfer, without overhead:
| Transfer size | 50 Mbps | 300 Mbps | 1 Gbps |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 GB | 27 min | 4 min 30 s | 1 min 20 s |
| 50 GB | 2 h 13 min | 22 min | 7 min |
| 100 GB | 4 h 27 min | 44 min | 13 min |
For long uploads, keep the MacBook on its charger with the lid open, or stop it sleeping in System Settings. If the connection drops, Transfr retries the missing parts automatically. Why your real speed may be lower: why uploads are slow.
How to transfer large files from Mac to PC
AirDrop doesn’t reach Windows, and a Mac-formatted drive (APFS or Mac OS Extended) can’t be read by Windows without extra software. You have three practical routes:
- Link: upload on the Mac, open the link on the PC and download. Works across the room or across the world. See sending large files on Windows for the reverse trip.
- exFAT drive: format a USB drive as exFAT in Disk Utility (this erases it); both macOS and Windows read and write it, with no 4 GB file limit unlike FAT32.
- Network share: on the same network, enable File Sharing in System Settings and connect from Windows. Good for your own machines, fiddly for others.
Mac files that confuse Windows users
A few Mac habits cause trouble on the receiving end, whatever method you use:
- “__MACOSX” folders and “._” files appear when a Windows user opens a zip made with Finder’s Compress. They are harmless Mac metadata, but confusing. Sending the folder through Transfr without zipping avoids them.
- Pages, Numbers and Keynote files don’t open in Microsoft Office. Export to Word, Excel, PowerPoint or PDF first (File > Export To).
- HEIC photos and HEVC or ProRes .mov videos open on Macs but may need extra codecs on older Windows PCs. For client deliveries, export a widely readable copy as well. See send large video files.
- File names with “/” or “:” are fine on macOS but not on Windows. Rename before sending a big tree.
Transfer large files Mac to Mac
If both Macs are in the same place, AirDrop or Migration Assistant (for a full move to a new Mac) are the natural picks. When the other Mac belongs to a client or a colleague elsewhere, send a link: they get the files with the folder tree intact, and you get download emails with a free account, or see views and locations with Send & Track on Pro.
Send large files from Mac to Android
Macs have no native way to browse an Android phone over USB. The simplest route is the link: upload on the Mac, open the link in Chrome on the phone and download what you need. More on the phone side in send large files on Android and, for Apple phones, send large files from iPhone.
Security for client and confidential files
Turn on end-to-end encryption for contracts, medical or financial documents: files are encrypted in your browser on the Mac before upload, and the key sits in the link after the “#” and is never stored on our servers. Add a password shared by phone, and limit downloads. Our end-to-end encryption page explains how it works, and secure file transfer lists good habits.
Creative professionals sending to clients from a Mac will also find specific workflows for photographers and videographers.
Past Mail Drop’s 5 GB
Send up to 100 GB from your Mac to any device, free.
Send large files for free
- Up to 100 GB per transfer
- No account needed
- Encrypted and hosted in Europe