You can send a video through email by attaching the file or including a link to a hosted copy. An attachment is useful when someone needs the file itself. A link often fits a customer reply because the recipient can open the explanation without handling a large attachment.

Choose based on the recipient, the file size and the access the video needs. This guide was reviewed and updated on September 13, 2026.

A person watches a shared video on a mobile device

A link and an attachment have different lifetimes. An attached copy may remain in a mailbox after you update the original. A hosted link can stop working if the file is removed or its permissions change. Choose a method that fits how long the answer needs to remain available.

  • Attach a small file when the recipient needs to download or edit it.
  • Send a hosted link when the recipient mainly needs to watch the video.
  • Use an approved shared folder for source files that several teammates will edit.
  • Check external permissions when the recipient is outside your organization.

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Record the explanation with the Zight screen recorder, or use your approved upload workflow for an existing video. Open the result, review it and copy the share link. Paste that link into the email alongside a short description of the task. The file-sharing page explains Zight link delivery.

  • Check that the recording shows the intended steps and that narration is audible.
  • Review who can open the link and whether its availability matches the ticket or project.
  • Test the link with the access the recipient will have.
  • Explain what to do after watching, then send the email.

Attach a small video file

For example, Gmail documents its attachment limit and Google Drive fallback. Follow the current instructions for your account rather than relying on a single size table for every email provider.

Compose the email, use the attachment control to select the video, and let it finish uploading before sending. Check the size limit for your account and the receiving service. Organization policies and message encoding can affect what is accepted, so a file just below one advertised limit may still fail.

For playback and conversion decisions, see video containers and codecs. File access and playback compatibility are separate checks: permission to download a recording does not guarantee that the receiving application can play it.

Upload the file to the shared storage service your organization uses. Choose the intended audience, copy the sharing link and include it in the email. If the person needs to edit the original, confirm that downloading is permitted and that the file format works in their editor.

Write an email that makes the video useful

Tell the reader what the recording answers before asking them to open it. Name the next action and invite a specific response if the result differs. Avoid making the reader watch a long recording just to discover whether it is relevant.

  • Subject: How to update your notification settings
  • Opening: This walkthrough shows where to change the setting and how to confirm it saved.
  • Link text: Watch the notification-settings walkthrough
  • Next step: Try the change and tell us whether the confirmation appears.

Use a clear screenshot from the recording if one frame explains the subject. Keep essential instructions in the email text rather than placing them only inside an image.

An image or short preview can help a reader recognize the topic, but it does not make the full video play inside every email client. Link the preview to the hosted video and include a descriptive text link as well. The message should still make sense when images are blocked.

Keep the source until you know the recipient can use the answer. If you replace a video, check whether old emails still point to the intended version.

  • Attachment rejected: check the account limit and use an approved link when the file is too large.
  • Access denied: verify the sharing audience and the recipient account.
  • No playback: inspect the original, format compatibility and whether the upload finished.
  • Unreadable interface: use the original recording or a clearer export instead of repeatedly compressing a small copy.

Get the customer’s screen back when needed

If the customer sees something different, send a video request and ask them to show the point where the result changes. For a repeated setup question, create a guide from your recording so the next answer includes steps the customer can follow at their own pace.