Attaching big files to Gmail just got a whole lot easier with a new Google Drive feature that integrates right into Gmail. If you’re already using Google Drive, and you probably are now that Google Docs has become Google Drive, you will now be able to attach files stored on your Google Drive to any email with just one click and without leaving Gmail.
Since you can upload files as big as 10GB to Google Drive, this also means you can now attach very big files to your emails, without the old limitations on file size. And since you’re sending your recipients to the actual file which is stored in the cloud, they will have continued access to the most up-to-date version of it, without you needing to send it again and again.
This is a really convenient feature for those who use Google Drive, but what happens if you share a file with someone who doesn’t have access to it? Google takes care of that too. Just like Gmail warns you about forgetting attachments if it recognizes that you meant to include one, if will also warn you about sending Google Drive files to users who can’t access them, and will prompt you to change the file’s sharing settings accordingly. This is also done without ever leaving Gmail.
As always with Google, the feature is rolling out slowly over the next few days, so be patient if you can’t see it yet. Note that the Google Drive feature is only included Gmail’s new compose, so if you haven’t enabled it yet, and want to take advantage if this feature, it might be time to do so.
Will you be using this new feature? Will you switch to the new Gmail compose for it?