03:46
Faizan
Video is big in the world of social media and electronic marketing, so it's natural to want to send video files to friends, colleagues or potential clients through an email. But while it is possible in theory to attach a .mov file to an email, a number of snags make it a less desirable option than you might think.
.Mov format
If you're working with QuickTime's .mov file format, then you're working with a high-quality media file format; which can have its good and bad points when it comes to sending video. While .mov files can be read by most Windows and Mac operating systems, .mov files are often larger files than other video formats -- which could be a problem when you run into attachment size limits within your email platform. Gmail, for example, has a 25 megabyte size limit for its attachments, while Yahoo and Hotmail have less. Since most .mov files are much larger than 25MB, it would have to be a pretty short video to make it within those parameters.
Compression
One way to possibly get around this problem is to make your .mov file into a very small version of itself, called compression. To do this, try opening the file and selecting "Save As," then selecting the lowest-quality settings you can get at the next screen. If you're lucky, you may be able to muster a grainier, much lower-quality version of your video that you may be able to email out.
Another Snag
So you've somehow managed to create a .mov video that is less than 25MB, and you plan to send it to all your family and friends. Keep in mind though, that just because your email provider may allow larger file formats to be attached to your emails, the receiver's email provider may not allow files of that size to be received. So in the end, all your hard work compressing the file was still in vain.
Another Option
So by now you may have realized it's not the greatest idea to attach a video to your email correspondence. One of the most viable alternatives is to upload your video to a file sharing site such as Vimeo or YouTube, where you can upload videos as long as 15 to 20 minutes with no cost. Once you've uploaded your videos, you can place a link to your videos in your emails, encouraging people to view the video. This won't allow the receiver to easily upload the video to their own computer, but they will at least get to see it.
.Mov format
If you're working with QuickTime's .mov file format, then you're working with a high-quality media file format; which can have its good and bad points when it comes to sending video. While .mov files can be read by most Windows and Mac operating systems, .mov files are often larger files than other video formats -- which could be a problem when you run into attachment size limits within your email platform. Gmail, for example, has a 25 megabyte size limit for its attachments, while Yahoo and Hotmail have less. Since most .mov files are much larger than 25MB, it would have to be a pretty short video to make it within those parameters.
Compression
One way to possibly get around this problem is to make your .mov file into a very small version of itself, called compression. To do this, try opening the file and selecting "Save As," then selecting the lowest-quality settings you can get at the next screen. If you're lucky, you may be able to muster a grainier, much lower-quality version of your video that you may be able to email out.
Another Snag
So you've somehow managed to create a .mov video that is less than 25MB, and you plan to send it to all your family and friends. Keep in mind though, that just because your email provider may allow larger file formats to be attached to your emails, the receiver's email provider may not allow files of that size to be received. So in the end, all your hard work compressing the file was still in vain.
Another Option
So by now you may have realized it's not the greatest idea to attach a video to your email correspondence. One of the most viable alternatives is to upload your video to a file sharing site such as Vimeo or YouTube, where you can upload videos as long as 15 to 20 minutes with no cost. Once you've uploaded your videos, you can place a link to your videos in your emails, encouraging people to view the video. This won't allow the receiver to easily upload the video to their own computer, but they will at least get to see it.
