Zip a Folder
Email sends files, not folders, so the first step is to turn the folder into one zip file. These steps are for a computer. We did not cover an iPhone.
On a Mac: in a Finder window or on the desktop, Control-click the folder, then choose Compress from the shortcut menu. The new file has the folder's name with .zip on the end. See Apple's guide to zipping files.
On Windows 11 or 10: right-click the folder, then choose Show more options, Send to, then Compressed (zipped) folder. A new zipped folder with the same name appears in the same place. See Microsoft's guide to zipping files.
Microsoft notes that pictures such as JPEGs are already compressed, so a zipped folder of photos is about the same size as the originals. A folder of JPEGs will not shrink much.
Attach the Zip
Apple Mail: open the message, click Attach Files in the toolbar, select the zip file, then click Choose File. You can also drag the file into the message.
Gmail: on a computer, go to Gmail, click Compose, click Attach at the bottom, choose the zip file and click Open. Gmail does not allow some file types, including inside a zip, such as .exe or .js files. Password-protected archives with archived content are blocked too. See Google's list of blocked file types.
Outlook: in new Outlook, in a new message, select Attach File from the Insert group on the Message tab, then choose the file under Browse This Computer. See Microsoft's guide to attaching files in Outlook.
None of the Apple, Google or Microsoft pages we read describes attaching a folder without zipping it. Zipping first works everywhere.
Size Limits
If the zip is over the limit, many providers will refuse it or offer a link instead. The limit counts the whole message.
| Where | Limit | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Gmail, personal | 25 MB | Gmail adds a Drive link |
| iCloud Mail | 20 MB | 5 GB with Mail Drop |
| Outlook.com | 20 or 25 MB | Microsoft pages differ |
| Exchange default | 10 MB | Admin can change |
| Mail Drop | 5 GB | Folder must be zipped |
Microsoft's pages give 20 MB and 25 MB for Outlook.com, and Apple gives 20 MB for iCloud Mail. Google says Gmail adds a Google Drive link automatically when your attachments are over the limit, and that a work or school administrator sets the limit on those accounts. See Google's attachment guide. Microsoft's own pages give 20 MB on one page and 25 MB on another for Outlook.com, so we show both. For Apple Mail, Mail Drop sends attachments up to 5 GB by uploading them to iCloud, where they are kept for 30 days. Apple's page lists an uncompressed folder as a reason a send may not use Mail Drop, so zip the folder first. See Apple's Mail Drop limits.
Send a Link
When the zip is too big, upload the folder somewhere and paste a link into your email. Each of these treats a folder a little differently.
- iCloud Drive. In Finder, select the folder in iCloud Drive, click the Share button, choose Share a Link, choose Anyone with the link (the default, People you choose, is invite-only) and set the permission to Can view or download, then Copy Link. The folder has to be in iCloud Drive first. Apple says Anyone with the link lets anyone who receives it access the folder.
- Google Drive. Any file or folder can be shared, and a link set to "Anyone with the link" works without signing in.
- Dropbox. Copy a link for viewing and the person can view without an account. A folder shared by email invitation needs a Dropbox account to view or edit.
- WeTransfer. Drag the folder in. WeTransfer says if your folder structure matters, zip the folder first, because otherwise it flattens the contents into one zip file. People can download without an account.
Loop
Loop is a Mac app that turns a folder into your own branded link. For one folder sent once to one person, it adds nothing: zip and attach, or paste a link from storage you already have. It helps when you send folders to clients or customers again and again and want them under your name.
- Drop the folder on Loop in the menu bar, or choose File > New Link.
- Link Copied. Loop copies the link, ready to paste.
- Paste it into your email. Loop does not attach files or send mail, so you write and send the email yourself.
The person opening the link sees a page with your logo and name once you have set a brand, a row for each folder and file, and a Download All button that gives a zip of every visible file in the folder, in the same shape. They need no account. Loop tells you when someone downloads, with a notification on your Mac while Loop is running.
Loop needs a Mac and a free Cloudflare account. It alerts you on your Mac, not by email, and we do not promise a maximum file size. If you deliver finished photo sets, see our guide to delivering photos to clients.
Your own branded link, with notes on the exact second. $49 once.
Cost
| Tool | Best for | Cost, one person |
|---|---|---|
| Zip and attach | Folders under 20 MB | Free |
| Mail Drop | Apple Mail, up to 5 GB | Free |
| iCloud Drive | Mac users, 5 GB free | $11.88 a year |
| Google Drive | No sign-in link | $19.99 a year |
| Dropbox | Folder link, 2 GB free | $119.88 a year, Plus |
| WeTransfer | One-off sends, free plan | $84 a year |
| Loop | Your own branded folder link | $49 once |
These are US dollars for one person, before tax, on the cheapest paid plan that does the job: iCloud+ 50 GB, Google One 100 GB billed yearly, Dropbox Plus and WeTransfer Starter billed yearly. iCloud+ is billed monthly only, at $0.99 a month, so $11.88 over a year. Dropbox Plus is $9.99 a month billed yearly, or $11.99 billed monthly. Plans that add your own branding cost more: Dropbox Standard is $180 a year and WeTransfer Ultimate is $228. The free plans give 5 GB on iCloud, 15 GB on Google, 2 GB on Dropbox and 3 GB in any 30 days on WeTransfer.
Loop's files are stored in your own Cloudflare account, free up to 10 GB. Past that, Cloudflare bills you. Cloudflare's pricing page, updated 30 October 2026, lists $0.015 per GB-month with no data-transfer charge for downloads. Loop includes a 14-day free trial, during which a small "Shared with Loop" badge shows on the pages your clients see, and it goes with a licence.