Microsoft Outlook is set to address one of its users’ major pain points with a new update improving the experience when sending large files.
The email service has revealed it is working on an update that should remove the annoying limit on attachment sizes when sending a message.
Instead, when attaching a large file that may exceed the maximum size limit, Outlook will now work together with Microsoft’s OneDrive cloud storage platform to pick up the slack.
In a post on the official Microsoft 365 roadmap, the company explained how, when users hit the attachment size limit, the update will now prompt them to upload the file to OneDrive so that the document can still be shared.
Android users will be the first to enjoy the new feature, with other platforms doubtlessly set to also receive it soon – and the feature has an expected rollout date of September 2023, meaning users won’t have too long to wait.
The launch may be a useful addition for users of the free version of Microsoft Outlook who may have been caught out by a change to the platform’s storage arrangements earlier this year.
Since February 2023, Microsoft has been rolling out a change that disadvantages free users, as attachments are now stored within OneDrive, which has a much smaller free capacity of 5GB, as compared to the free 15GB allowance of Outlook.
The upshot is that many users are now having their emails disrupted, as they are unable to send or receive new emails due to their backlog of attachments suddenly exceeding capacity since this storage migration.
Analysis – Size doesn’t matter – at least, not any more
This release addresses such an obvious gripe for Outlook users that we’re amazed it has taken this long.
Many Outlook users will have encountered the annoyance of trying to send a file that is too large for the platform to cope with, and instead having to turn to a third-party service.
But with Microsoft’s ever-expanding experience in online collaboration, harnessing the power of OneDrive and cloud storage should save users everywhere a whole load of frustration.