Slack file size limit: how to send files larger than 1 GB
Short answer: Slack's file size limit is 1 GB per file. To send something larger, share a link from storage you already control, compress a smaller review copy, split an archive, or put the original in a workspace that does not use that 1 GB chat cap. BusyVault counts the file against plan storage instead.
Learn about Slack’s 1 GB upload limit and compare compression, cloud links and a file-focused workspace for large project assets.
Author: BusyVault ·
Slack’s documented upload limit
Slack’s file-upload documentation specifies a maximum of 1 GB per file. This is an individual upload limit, not the same thing as total storage or how long files remain accessible. Review the source below for current conditions.
Option 1: share a permission-controlled link
Keep the original file in your existing storage service and share its link in Slack. Check that recipients have access, especially external collaborators. This preserves the original file but leaves permissions and retention with the storage provider.
Option 2: compress or export a review copy
For a video review, a lower-resolution copy may be enough. For archives, compression may help but already-compressed media may shrink very little. Keep the original separately and explain which version the team should review.
Option 3: evaluate a file-focused workspace
If large files are part of everyday collaboration, test BusyVault with your typical assets. Compare included storage, extra charges and access controls before moving. Choose this approach because the workflow fits, not just because one upload is too large.
Example: getting feedback on a 2 GB video
A 2 GB source video exceeds Slack’s documented 1 GB upload limit. For a quick review, export a smaller viewing copy and keep the original in storage. If the reviewer needs the original, send a permission-controlled link instead. When this happens on every project, evaluate a workspace built around project files: test a representative upload, confirm the storage cost and check playback and download on the devices your team actually uses.
Worked example for this guide
Use “Slack file size limit: how to send files larger than 1 GB” on one project that is already late, not as a policy for the whole company. Write the current file name, the decision and the next owner in the same channel before the day ends. A teammate who was away should find that trio without opening the call recording. If they cannot, the article has not been applied yet. Repeat the check the next morning. Count a written handover as done only when the second person opens the right file first.
Files, history and the next owner
On Slack file size limit: how to send files larger than 1 GB, keep the file next to the sentence that approved it. Slack documents a 1 GB cap on one upload and, on the Free plan, 90 days of visible history. Those two limits are the public facts this site already cites.
BusyVault bills storage per paid account: 25 GiB on Basic and 100 GiB on Pro. Extra storage is 0.03 USD per GiB a month after you confirm the charge. Basic is 9 USD a month or 86 USD a year. Pro is 30 USD a month or 288 USD a year. One subscription does not cover the team.
The trial is 3 days and 10 GiB. Use it to upload a real file and to search for a decision, not to announce a company-wide move. If the file does not fit or the old decision cannot be found, say so in the channel before you promise the room is the archive.
Where the app runs
BusyVault runs in the browser and can be installed from Chrome or Edge on Windows, macOS and Linux. The Android app is on Google Play and uses the same account. The iPhone and iPad app is coming soon. Enterprise customers can run BusyVault on their own servers under a separate contract. There is no public installer on this site for that path. This page does not claim SOC 2, ISO 27001 or HIPAA.
A check you can finish this week
For Slack file size limit: how to send files larger than 1 GB, finish four lines and stop. Line one is the project name. Line two is the channel name. Line three is where the current file lives. Line four is the next owner. Add one rule for meetings: what must be decided live, and what must be written down the same day.
Ask someone who was not on the call to find the file without help. If they open the right channel first, the structure works. If they search three threads and still ask which version is current, move the file to the channel and leave a pointer. Owners and administrators can export a BusyVault backup from workspace or channel settings. After a restore, check the text, the file references and who can open them. Keep the original files until that check passes. Product questions go to the address on the support page.
Write the size before you compress
Slack’s upload article is the source for the 1 GB cap on one file. Write your file’s size next to that number before you export a smaller copy. A viewing copy can be right for a quick note and wrong for the delivery. If the original must stay intact, a workspace with included GiB is a different design than a chat attachment. The 2 GB example on this page is that case, not a promise about every format.
Use these checks to record what worked, what failed and what needs another tool. They are evaluation criteria, not claimed test results.
A practical acceptance checklist
Check
Evidence to collect
Smaller review copy
Useful for feedback; keep the original and verify the review copy remains legible.
Storage link
Useful for full source files; verify recipient access and link lifetime.
Project workspace
Useful for repeated delivery; test upload acceptance, original download and storage cost.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Asked before
switching.
What can I do when a file exceeds Slack's upload limit?
For a review, export a smaller copy while preserving the original. If the recipient needs the full source, use an access-controlled storage link or test a workspace that accepts the file. Check recipient permissions, preview quality and retention separately from the upload itself.