Preface

Managing your Gmail inbox can be difficult, especially when you start running out of storage space. Large attachments and emails sometimes take up a lot of your storage space, so the most common question people ask is how to find large files in Gmail. Finding these large files can help you avoid annoying storage limits, organize your emails, and free up space. But why is this task so important? Let’s get started and explore.

Why Find Large Files in Gmail?

Before we get to the solutions, let’s see why detecting and managing large files in your Gmail account is important:

  • Better inbox performance: If there are large files, your inbox may take longer to load and search for emails. These files can be deleted to significantly improve Gmail’s performance.
  • More storage: Gmail has a lot of free storage, but large files and high-resolution images can fill up space quickly. Removing unnecessary files can save you significant storage space.
  • Better email organization: A cluttered inbox can hinder your productivity. By identifying and deleting large files, you can improve your workflow and organize your emails better.
  • Faster email search: When searching for specific emails, Gmail’s search function may take longer to analyze large files. Reducing the amount of large files can improve the accuracy and speed of your search.
  • Better mobile experience: When downloading attachments on your smartphone, large files will consume a lot of mobile data. Managing large files can greatly improve your mobile email experience.
  • Better email backup: Large files can increase backup time and free up the storage space needed when backing up your Gmail account. Removing unnecessary files can simplify the backup process.
  • Increased email security: Large files can contain viruses or malicious software, which can pose a security risk. Regularly organizing your inbox can reduce the risk of malicious attacks.

How to Find Large Files in Gmail

After discussing the importance of this step, let’s take a look at some detailed instructions along with some useful ways to find large files in Gmail.

Way 1. Use Gmail's Search Function

Using Gmail’s built-in search filters is one of the easiest ways to solve this problem, without using any other tools. Using these filters, you can easily identify emails with large attachments or significant file sizes. For those who are looking for an easy solution, this is the perfect solution. Targeting large attachments at first makes sense, as they are often the reason why your inbox gets too full.

1. Open your browser and log in to Gmail.

2. In the search box at the top, type larger:10M (you can change the size, for example, 5M for smaller files).

3. Press the Enter key. Gmail will display a list of emails with attachments larger than normal.

4. Select the email and click on the trash icon to delete it.

5. Don't forget to empty your trash to permanently delete these files and free up space.

Tip: Start with large files and gradually reduce their size. For example, start with a file of 20M. This will help you prioritize saving the most space.

Way 2. Use Google Storage Manager

Using Google's easy-to-use application, Google Storage Manager, is also an additional option. With this tool, you can check how much storage space you are using in Gmail, Google Drive, and Photos. It is not only good for finding large emails, but also for identifying why they are taking up space.

1. Go to Google One's storage manager.

2. Use the Google account connected to your Gmail account to log in.

3. In the menu, select "Emails with large attachments".

4. Click on the mentioned email in Gmail to open it.

5. Choose whether to download or delete the large attachments.

Tip: Use the "Filter by size" function to sort files by size. Regularly checking your Storage Manager can help prevent storage issues.

Way 3. Use a Third-party Service

Finally, using a Gmail app or plugin like Clean Email is another effective strategy. These tools are especially useful if you need a solution that helps you manage your inbox automatically. Manually cleaning up years of emails can become tedious over time; these tools make the task easier. They are best suited for users who have years of emails to manage.

1. The Clean Email app can be downloaded and installed from the App Store or accessed online.

2. Grant it the necessary permissions and connect it to your Gmail account.

3. Use the app’s search filter to search for large files in Gmail, including attachments larger than 10MB.

4. Review the results and select the emails you want to delete as a group.

5. Confirm deletion and check your Gmail trash to permanently free up space.

Tip: Set up automatic rules in these programs to mark or delete large emails as they come in. This proactive strategy can help you avoid future storage issues.

Bonus Tip: How to Directly Backup Gmail Emails to the Cloud

This article addresses the question "How to find large files in Gmail?". If you’re considering saving Gmail emails to a cloud drive as PDFs, MultCloud can be extremely useful. Trusted by over 3 million users, MultCloud is a multi-cloud management tool that facilitates the transfer or synchronization of files between various cloud services.

For instance, it allows for seamless file transfers from cloud drives like Gmail to OneDrive without the need to download and then re-upload files. MultCloud also enables you to access and manage all your cloud accounts via a single application. Currently, it supports more than 30 different cloud services, including Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, Box, Google Photos, iCloud Photos, FTP, WebDAV, and more.

  • Cloud Transfer: MultCloud can transfer files from one cloud service to another directly without downloading and re-uploading.
  • Cloud Sync: With MultCloud, you can easily sync two folders between different cloud services in real-time.
  • Cloud Backup: You can backup and restore data between different cloud services automatically.
  • Instagram Downloader: MultCloud can help you download Instagram videos, photos, reels, and stories to local device or remotely upload them to your clouds.
  • Email Migration: You can directly back up and save Gmail emails as PDFs to your computer or cloud drive in bulk. 
  • Manage all cloud accounts in one place: Connect all your clouds to MultCloud and you'll find it so easy to access and manage multiple cloud storage files with a single login.

Conclusion

A smooth and hassle-free experience with Gmail is guaranteed when you incorporate these solutions into your daily management routine. Learning how to find large attachments in Gmail is a valuable skill. Whether you use Google Storage Manager or an email management program, it will help you organize and keep your inbox organized and efficient, saving you hassle, money, and time.