How to increase the size limit of Outlook default attachments

Most email service providers limit the maximum size of emails that an account can send or receive. But it's actually a necessary restriction; otherwise, emails can easily be exploited by being flooded with very large emails.

If you try to send an email that exceeds the maximum limit of the recipient, it will bounce and you will receive an error in your mailbox again. Outlook refuses to send emails with attachments larger than 20 MB. This is inconvenient, because most email servers allow users to send emails from 25 MB or more. However, there are ways to send messages of more than 20 MB con Outlook, as long as you make sure your email provider accepts it.

If you try to send a file larger than 20 MB and Outlook, you will receive a message similar to “Attachment size exceeds allowed limit”. Another variation of this error is “The file you are attaching is larger than the server allows”.

If you are in this situation, there are several ways to approach this topic. One way to mitigate the problem is to upload large attachments to cloud drives and only email the link to the recipient.. Cloud servers will allow you to upload files up to 15 GB for free.

Another more elegant solution would be to increase the default attachment limit in Outlook to match the default size of the email server. For Gmail and some other email providers it won't be a big improvement, but if you use a self-hosted email server or Exchange, can go much higher.

Here is a collection of methods that will allow you to send larger files through Outlook. Check!

Method 1: change the size limit of attachments in Registry Editor

The following guide will show you how to edit the registry so that Outlook allows larger attachment limits. We are going to modify the MaximumAttachmentSize parameter using the registry editor. This is what needs to be done:

1. Press the Win key + R to open the Run dialog. Type »regedit» in the box next to Open: and click OK.

   

2. Depending on your version of Windows, you will be directed to a User Account Control box. Click Yes to continue.

3. Once the Registry Editor is open, navigate to the preferences folder by following the paths given below. Make sure to follow the proper path according to your version of Outlook.

   • Outlook 2016: HKEY_CURRENT_USER ~ Software ~ Microsoft ~ Office ~ 16.0 ~ – Outlook ~ – preferences

   • Outlook 2013: HKEY_CURRENT_USER ~ Software ~ Microsoft ~ Office ~ 15.0 ~ Outlook ~ – preferences

   • Outlook 2010: HKEY_CURRENT_USER ~ Software ~ Microsoft ~ Office ~ – 14.0 ~ Outlook ~ – preferences

   • Outlook 2007: HKEY_CURRENT_USER ~ Software ~ Microsoft ~ Office ~ 12.0 ~ Outlook ~ – preferences

   

4. Click once on the Preferences folder to select it. With folder selected, go to New> Valor DWord (32 bits).

   

5. Now check Decimal option and enter attachment size limitation in Value data box. Size limit must be added in kilobytes. For example, if you want to set the size limit to 25 MB, must enter 25600. It is good practice to lower the Outlook limit to allow room for maneuver of at least 500 KB.

   Note: If you are using Exchange, it is recommended not to set the MaximumAttachmentSize higher than allowed for the account. If you don't, the message will not be sent. What's more, do not leave the file size limit at 0, as this will make all your emails undeliverable.

6. Press OK and close the registry editor.

7. You try to send an email through Outlook with an attachment that is larger than the size allowed above.

Method 2: modify default size limit with Kutools

If the previous steps seemed too complicated, there is an easier way to change the size limit. We have found that using Kutools for Outlook will automate many of the steps and make resizing the attachment limit much easier. Kutools for Outlook is an Outlook add-in designed to simplify the tasks you do on a daily basis in Outlook.

Fortunately for us, has a set of additional settings, one of which is an intuitive way to change the Maximum Attachment Size. Kutools es compatible con Outlook 2016, Outlook 2013, Outlook 2010 y Office 365.

Please note that Kutools will not allow you to send email attachments larger than the limit imposed by your email provider. Does exactly the same as the first method, but it's much easier.

Here is a quick guide on how to alter default max accessory size using Kutools.

Change maximum size of attachments with Kutools plugin

1. Close Outlook completely.

2. Download and install Kutools for Outlook from this link. This is a reliable link, so you should use it and avoid downloading plugins from suspicious places.

3. Open Outlook and click on the Kutools new tab. This will open a completely new menu. Find Options and double click on it.

   

4. Now select the Others tab and enter the appropriate limit size you want in the text box next to Maximum accessory size.

   Note: be sure to insert the value in KB. What's more, keep the value below the limit imposed by your email service provider. Do not set the value to 0 because it will make your Outlook client unable to send attachments.

5. Press Ok to confirm and restart the Outlook software for the changes to take effect.

Method 3: use of email compression tools

If you are looking for a more elegant solution, the best way to send large attachments in Outlook is to use email compression tools. A tool like this will automatically compress large files as soon as you add it to your draft. After reviewing various tools, We decided to use WinZip Express because it integrates seamlessly with most versions of Outlook and is extremely reliable..

WinZip Express will compress your attachment into a Zip file and automatically upload it to the cloud. Then it will replace the attachment with an efficient download link. This will help you overcome the email attachment size limits that you can deal with.. Not to mention, it provides additional security through the use of encryption..

WinZip Express es compatible con Outlook 2013, Outlook 2010 y Outlook 2007. You can install it from here free. As soon as you install the plugin, it will start automatically every time you open Outlook. You can confirm that it works by checking if you see the WinZip Express group in the menu bar.

You can access the Use cloud services menu to determine which cloud services to use for large attachments. As soon as I hit Submit, WinZip Express will check if the attached file exceeds the default size limit. If the size is smaller, will apply compression and upload the file to the previously selected cloud storage. Finally, will replace the attachment with a fancy download link.