Choose the delivery method first
Check the sender's and recipient's attachment limits. The smaller limit can determine what succeeds, and work accounts may have different policies from personal accounts. Google currently documents a 25 MB attachment limit for personal Gmail accounts and different administrative controls for work or school accounts.
A cloud sharing link is often the easiest route for a large file. Upload through a service appropriate for the material, then grant access to the intended recipient. A link is not useful if it points to a file they cannot open or requires an account they do not have.
For confidential video, use an approved sharing method and avoid making the file public simply to remove a permission problem. Test access with the intended permissions, and explain any sign-in requirement in the message.
Make a smaller copy when that is what the job needs
If the recipient only needs to watch a short explanation, trim the unnecessary beginning and end before changing other settings. Removing minutes of empty footage can save space without damaging the useful portion.
Export a separate copy at a resolution and quality suitable for the content. A talking-head message may tolerate a smaller image than a screen recording with fine text. Keep the original so you can produce another version if the recipient needs more detail.
Use a common format supported by the recipient's device or application. A small file in an unfamiliar codec can be less convenient than a larger compatible one. Check the export settings rather than assuming the filename extension tells the whole story.
Do not repeatedly re-encode the same reduced copy. Return to the original for another export. Each additional lossy conversion can introduce further artifacts, particularly around text, motion and fine detail.
Watch the file you are about to send
Play the exported video from beginning to end if it is short, or inspect the start, end and important sections if it is long. Check sound, orientation, captions and whether any private information appears on screen.
For a screen recording, pause on the smallest text the recipient needs to read. If it is illegible at the intended viewing size, the export has gone too far. A short clip showing the relevant area may work better than shrinking a full desktop recording.
Verify that the upload has finished before sending the link. Some services create a link while processing is still underway. If the video has a deadline, allow time for that processing and for the recipient to download it.
Tell the recipient what they are opening
Give the file a descriptive name and include a sentence about its contents and approximate length. State whether it is a viewing copy or the original material. This helps someone decide whether to stream it immediately or save it for editing.
Keep the shared file available for the agreed period and remove access when it is no longer needed. If you replace it with a revised version, make that clear rather than leaving several similarly named clips in the same conversation.
