How to Upload a Video and Share a Link (Free)

Need to share a video without uploading to YouTube or social media? Whether it's a work presentation, family video, or client deliverable, here's how to upload a video and get a shareable link.

Quick Options Compared

Method	Max Size	Privacy	Free Tier	Link Expiry
Google Drive	15 GB	Private/Public	15 GB	Never
Dropbox	2 GB	Private/Public	2 GB	Never
WeTransfer	2 GB	Public	2 GB	7 days
Streamable	250 MB	Public	250 MB	90 days
Vimeo	500 MB/week	Private/Public	Limited	Never

Method 1: Google Drive (Best for Most People)

Pros: Free 15GB, no expiry, privacy controls Cons: Requires Google account

Steps:

1. Go to drive.google.com
2. Click "+ New" → "File upload"
3. Select your video
4. Wait for upload to complete
5. Right-click the video → "Share"
6. Set permissions (anyone with link, or specific people)
7. Copy the link

Privacy options:

• Restricted (only people you add)
• Anyone with the link (public)

Method 2: Dropbox

Pros: Easy sharing, works for any file type Cons: Only 2GB free

Steps:

1. Go to dropbox.com
2. Upload your video
3. Click "Share" next to the file
4. Copy the link

Method 3: WeTransfer (No Account Needed)

Pros: No signup required, simple Cons: 2GB limit, links expire in 7 days

Steps:

1. Go to wetransfer.com
2. Click "Upload files"
3. Add your video
4. Enter recipient email or get a link
5. Send/copy the link

Method 4: Streamable (For Quick Sharing)

Pros: Instant video player, no download needed Cons: 250MB limit, videos deleted after 90 days

Steps:

1. Go to streamable.com
2. Upload your video
3. Get shareable link with video player

Method 5: Convert Video to Compressed Format First

If your video is too large:

1. Use HandBrake (free) to compress
2. Reduce resolution to 720p or 1080p
3. Upload the smaller file

Compression settings:

• Format: MP4
• Codec: H.264
• Quality: RF 20-23 (good balance)

Sharing Videos Privately

Password Protection

Some services offer password-protected links:

• Vimeo (paid plans)
• Dropbox (Business plans)
• Google Drive (with domain restrictions)

Time-Limited Access

If you want the link to expire:

• WeTransfer: 7 days automatic
• Dropbox: Set expiration in sharing settings
• Custom solutions: Upload to your own hosting

Sharing Large Videos (Over 2GB)

Option 1: Cloud Storage

• Google Drive: 15GB free
• OneDrive: 5GB free
• iCloud: 5GB free

Option 2: File Splitting

Split large videos into parts using:

• 7-Zip (free)
• WinRAR
• HJSplit

Option 3: Compression

Reduce file size significantly with HandBrake.

Video Link vs Email Attachment

Why links are better:

• No file size limits
• Recipient doesn't wait for download
• You can revoke access later
• Track if it was viewed
• Same link for multiple people

Email attachment limits:

• Gmail: 25MB
• Outlook: 20MB
• Most corporate email: 10-25MB

For Business Use

Client Deliverables

1. Upload to cloud storage
2. Share link with view-only permissions
3. Consider password protection

Internal Sharing

1. Use company cloud (Google Workspace, SharePoint)
2. Share with specific colleagues
3. Set appropriate permissions

Training Videos

1. Upload to Vimeo (unlisted)
2. Embed in internal wiki/LMS
3. Or use SharePoint/Google Drive

Video Hosting Alternatives to YouTube

If you don't want a public YouTube video:

Platform	Private Options	Best For
Vimeo	Yes (paid)	Professional video
Wistia	Yes (paid)	Business/marketing
Loom	Yes (free)	Screen recordings
Google Drive	Yes (free)	Simple sharing

FAQ

How do I share a video without YouTube?

Upload to Google Drive, Dropbox, or WeTransfer and share the link. No need for YouTube for private sharing.

What's the best free way to share large videos?

Google Drive offers 15GB free storage with permanent links. Best for videos up to a few GB.

Can I track if someone watched my video?

Vimeo (paid), Wistia, and some enterprise solutions offer view tracking. Free options generally don't track views.

How do I share a video link on WhatsApp?

1. Upload to Google Drive or Dropbox
2. Copy the shareable link
3. Paste in WhatsApp chat

Can I share videos without compressing?

Yes, but upload times will be longer and you may hit size limits. Cloud storage handles original quality best.

How do I share 4K videos?

4K files are large. Use Google Drive (15GB free) or compress to 1080p if the recipient doesn't need 4K quality.

Summary

Best free option: Google Drive (15GB, no expiry, privacy controls)

Quickest option: WeTransfer (no signup, but 7-day expiry)

For professionals: Vimeo or Wistia (paid, with analytics)

Key steps:

1. Upload to cloud storage
2. Set sharing permissions
3. Copy and share the link

For documents and PDFs with tracking, use LinkyHost to get analytics on who views your files.