To send a PDF, Word file, Excel sheet or any other file, open the chat, tap the attach button and choose Document. WhatsApp lets you send documents up to 2 GB each, which also works for long videos you want to send in original quality.
On Android
- Open the chat and tap the paperclip in the typing box.
- Tap Document.
- Pick the file from the list of recent files, or tap Browse other docs to look in Downloads, the phone storage or Google Drive.
- Check the name and tap Send.
On iPhone
- Open the chat and tap +.
- Tap Document.
- Choose the file from the Files app (iCloud Drive, On My iPhone, Downloads), or choose Choose photo or video to send a gallery item as a document.
- Tap Send.
On WhatsApp Web or the computer app
Click + (attach) › Document and pick the file, or simply drag the file from your computer into the chat. This is often the easiest way to send big office files.
Send from another app
In apps like a PDF reader, Files, Google Drive or a scanner app, tap Share and choose WhatsApp, then pick the chat. If the file is only online (for example in Drive), the phone downloads it first, so you need data.
Sizes and limits
- Documents: up to 2 GB each.
- Normal photos and videos are made smaller by WhatsApp. If a long video refuses to send as a video, send it as a document instead.
- Big files take time on slow data. Use Wi-Fi if you can and keep WhatsApp open until the tick appears.
If it doesn't work
- Can't find the file: on Android, open your Files app and check Downloads. On iPhone, make sure the file is saved in the Files app first.
- Stuck uploading: check your internet, then cancel and try again. See messages not sending.
- Receiver can't open it: they need an app for that file type, such as a PDF reader or an office app. Converting to PDF before sending is the safest choice.
- Phone full: received documents take space. See free up WhatsApp storage.
Safety tip
Never open files ending in .apk, .exe or odd names like "Bill.pdf.apk" from people you don't know. Fake "electricity bill", "wedding card" or "RTO challan" files are a common trick to install apps that steal money. A real document is almost always a PDF, photo or office file.
This is GroupChatOn’s own easy guide. We are not WhatsApp and are not linked with WhatsApp or Meta. WhatsApp sometimes changes its menus: if a button looks different on your phone, update WhatsApp from the Play Store or App Store.
Still stuck?
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Questions, or an error not listed here?
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