Microsoft Teams file size limit: 250 GB, with catches
Short answer
Microsoft lists 250 GB per file for Teams. In practice, the limits that stop you are storage space (files live in OneDrive and SharePoint) and sharing with people outside your organization, which many companies restrict.
| Limit | |
|---|---|
| Per file (Microsoft's stated upload limit) | 250 GB |
| Where files are stored | Chats: your OneDrive. Channels: the team's SharePoint |
| Attachments per chat message | Up to 10 |
| Emailing a channel | Up to 20 attachments, each under 10 MB |
250 GB, in theory
Teams doesn't really store files itself. A file you drop into a chat goes into your OneDrive, and a file posted in a channel goes into the team's SharePoint site. So the real limits are storage space and sharing settings, not a file-size number. Microsoft's own Teams limits page also lists a lower 100 MB file size limitation under chats, so very large files are best posted in a channel or shared as a link.
The real problem: people outside your organization
Inside your company, Teams sharing usually just works. Send the same file to a client or a supplier and it depends on your IT department's settings. Often external sharing is restricted, and the other person lands on a "you need permission" page. On a personal Microsoft account, shared files count against your OneDrive storage too, which is 5 GB on a free account.
A link that works for anyone
Upload the file to Send Shed's Quick Share (free, no account, up to 3 GB per file) and paste the link into the Teams chat or an email. Anyone can open it, with no Microsoft account and no permission request. If the file is confidential and company policy allows it, Encrypted Share encrypts it in your browser before upload. If your company requires files to stay in Microsoft 365, follow that policy instead.
Quick answers
What is the Microsoft Teams file size limit?
Microsoft lists 250 GB per file. Files shared in Teams are stored in OneDrive (chats) or SharePoint (channels), so they also count against that storage.
Why can't I share a file with someone outside my organization in Teams?
Sharing with outside people depends on your organization's settings. Many organizations turn external sharing off, so the other person sees a request-access page instead of the file.
Is there a limit on attachments when emailing a Teams channel?
Yes. Emails sent to a channel can carry up to 20 attachments, each under 10 MB.
Too big? Send it here instead
Upload it to Quick Share — up to 3 GB per file, free, no account — and paste the link wherever you were trying to attach it. Unused links delete themselves.
Send it with Quick Share Send it encrypted