Universal
Every phone, no app
The link opens in the recipient’s browser: no store, no install, no account — even on an entry-level phone.
Send large files by text message
MMS caps out at a few megabytes depending on the carrier — which is to say, nothing. The answer fits in a text: a TransferNow link, up to 5 GB for free, downloadable without an app or an account.
- MMS: a few MB max
- Up to 5 GB free
- No app needed
Average rating after at least one transfer:
4.8750,000 votes
4.9 / 5 on Trustpilot and Google (20k+ reviews)
The problem
Texting was never built for files — and that’s just fine
MMS, texting’s heir for media, caps out at a few megabytes (often 1 to 3 MB depending on the carrier) and recompresses everything that goes through. iMessage and RCS do better between compatible users, but fall back to MMS the moment the other side isn’t.
Texting’s real strength lies elsewhere: it always arrives, on every phone, with no app. Exactly what you need to carry… a link. The file travels through the link; the text only carries the address.
- Outlook attachment20 MB
- Gmail attachment25 MB
- TransferNow — free, no sign-up5 GB
- TransferNow — with an account500 GB
Logarithmic scale — the exact values are what counts.
The solutions
Three ways to send a file by text message
MMS, messaging apps or a link: what each channel actually supports.
| Method | Max size | Quality | For the recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| TransferNow link by textRecommended | 5 GB free · 500 GB with an account | Original quality | Every phone, no app |
| MMS | 1 to 3 MB depending on carrier | Heavily recompressed | Universal but tiny |
| iMessage / RCS | Varies with compatibility | Good between compatible users | Falls back to MMS otherwise |
The link by text: universal and weightless
Create the transfer from our mobile app or the website, share the link by text: it reaches any phone, and the recipient downloads from their browser — even on an old handset.
MMS: for a single photo, at best
A few megabytes, heavy compression, sometimes billed separately: MMS can rescue one photo, never a video or a folder.
iMessage and RCS: good, with strings attached
Between two iPhones or two RCS-compatible Androids, media goes through fine. But the other person’s compatibility is a lottery — the link works every single time.
Guide
How to send large files by text message?
- 1
Get the download link ready
Create the transfer from your phone or computer — up to 5 GB for free — and copy the link.
- 2
Paste it into the text
A text carries words, not gigabytes: the URL bridges the way to your files.
- 3
The recipient opens, downloads, done
The phone’s browser, no app: the files arrive in original quality.
With TransferNow
Built for your transfers by SMS
Mobile apps
Everything from your phone
5 GB free
A thousand times the MMS
The whole school play video, the complete renovation album — inside a text that weighs 160 characters.
Password
Sensitive documents by text
Insurance papers, supporting documents: protect the link with a password, shared through another channel (a call, in person).
5 GB free: how far does it go?
- 1-3 MB
- the MMS cap, depending on the carrier
- 5 GB
- per TransferNow link — ×1,000 and more
- 160
- characters are enough to carry 5 GB
- 0
- apps required on the recipient’s side
Frequently asked questions
How do I send a video by text message?
You don’t send the video, you send its link: create a TransferNow transfer (up to 5 GB for free) and paste the link into your text. The recipient downloads from their browser, no app needed.
Why do my MMS messages arrive in poor quality?
MMS caps out at a few megabytes depending on the carrier: photos and videos are drastically recompressed to fit. It’s a limit of the protocol, not of your phone.
Does the recipient need to install anything?
No: the link opens in the phone’s browser — any browser — and the download happens without an account or an app.
Can I create the transfer straight from my phone?
Yes: our Android and iOS apps create the transfer from your gallery and share the link in Messages in two taps.
Why isn’t an MMS enough anymore, even for one photo?
MMS caps out at a few megabytes depending on the carrier, while a recent smartphone photo already weighs several — and a 45 MP DSLR JPEG reaches ≈ 13.5 MB (Canon manual). The link tucked into the text carries up to 5 GB for free.
Also worth sending
Sending other types of files?
All file types5 GB per transfer for free, no sign-up