Send 5GB free: a designer’s workflow for delivering print-ready artwork to clients

You’re trying to get a print-ready package to a client (or a printer) without the usual mess: missing fonts, broken links, “which PDF is final?”, and an email attachment that bounces. If you searched send 5gb free, the simplest answer is: use a transfer link with automatic expiry, upload your packaged folder once, then send one clean link to the client.

This walkthrough is the exact end-of-project workflow many designers use to deliver print-ready artwork reliably, from the final export all the way to “received, approved, and ready for press”.

What “print-ready” actually means (so your client stops asking for “the source files”)

Print-ready usually means the recipient can output to press without your design app, your font licenses, or guesswork. In practice, you deliver two things:

• A press PDF (the thing that actually prints)
• A packaged source folder (in case the printer needs to adjust trapping, swap a barcode, or fix a last-minute typo)

Clients often ask for “the InDesign file” or “the Illustrator file” because they don’t know the difference. Your job is to give them a clearly labelled, printer-proof bundle, plus a one-page ReadMe that explains what to use and when.

Before you export: do the two checks that prevent 80% of print disasters

1) Preflight like you mean it

Run your app’s preflight (or your own checklist) and fix what matters:

• Linked images: not missing, not low-res, not RGB when CMYK is required
• Overprint and rich black: correct for the job, especially on small text
• Bleed: present, consistent, and actually exported
• Spot colours: intentional, named consistently (no “PANTONE 185 C copy 2”)

Real-world note from doing this under deadline: the one that bites hardest is a “fine on screen” background image that’s actually 120 dpi at final size. It looks okay in a PDF preview, then prints soft. Fix it now, not after the courier pickup.

2) Make a final “what changed” list

One paragraph in your email saves a whole approval loop. Example:

• Updated the legal line on the back cover
• Adjusted the barcode quiet zone to printer spec
• Swapped hero image to approved retouch v3

Export the right PDFs (and name them so nobody can mess it up)

For most client deliveries, export two PDFs:

• PDF for approval: smaller, easy to view, often with bleed/crop marks off unless requested
• PDF for print: the press PDF with the printer’s required settings

Use filenames that survive being forwarded five times:

• ClientName_Project_Print_READY_2026-08-28.pdf
• ClientName_Project_Proof_v12.pdf

Yes, the date looks nerdy. It prevents “Is v11 newer than final_FINAL_2?” arguments.

Package the source files (so links and fonts don’t break)

If you send the native file alone, you’re basically sending a promise that the recipient already has all your fonts, links, plugins, and exact versions. They don’t.

Instead, create a packaged folder:

• InDesign: use Package, include fonts and links (respect your font licensing)
• Illustrator: collect linked files, embed where appropriate, and include fonts if licensing allows
• Photoshop: include the layered PSD only if needed, otherwise provide flattened print assets and the final PDF

Pro tip (the one many guides skip): once packaged, open the packaged file from the new folder and export the print PDF from that copy. If something is missing, you’ll find out immediately, not after your client does.

Build a delivery folder your client can understand in 10 seconds

Create one top-level folder that contains everything, neatly separated:

• 01_PRINT_PDF (press PDF only)
• 02_PROOFS (approval PDFs or JPG previews)
• 03_SOURCE_PACKAGED (InDesign/AI package with links)
• 04_FONTS (only if you can legally provide them)
• README.txt (or README.pdf)

Keep the ReadMe short and specific. Include:

• Which file to print
• Trim size, bleed, colour intent (CMYK/spot), and any special notes
• Contact details for quick questions

Compress it once (without sabotaging your PDFs)

Zip the folder into one archive. This keeps your structure intact and reduces “I only downloaded half the files” issues.

• On macOS: right-click folder, Compress
• On Windows: right-click folder, Send to, Compressed (zipped) folder

Don’t re-export a lower-quality PDF just to make it smaller. For print PDFs, aggressive downsampling is how you lose sharp type and clean gradients. Zip is fine. “Make it tiny” is usually not.

Send 5GB free with an expiring link (designer-friendly delivery)

Now you’re at the part that breaks email. Many mail providers cap attachments around 20 to 25MB, and clients often have stricter inbox rules. A transfer link is the clean fix.

With LetsSend (disclosure: this is our product), the Free plan lets you send up to 5GB per transfer (as of August 2026), with links that expire after 7 days. Upload happens straight from your browser to encrypted object storage, rather than bouncing through a middle server.

1. Open LetsSend and send a file free.
2. Upload your zipped delivery folder (or the folder contents).
3. Set an expiry that matches the project pace (Free links expire automatically after 7 days).
4. Add a password if the work is confidential (recommended for brand work, packaging, or unreleased campaigns).
5. Send the link to your client with one line explaining what to download.

If you want to understand the link controls (expiry, passwords, and download limits on Pro), you can see all features. If you’re comparing limits and expiry windows, compare Free and Pro.

A quick options table: transfer link vs cloud storage vs email

Write the client message that gets a fast “approved” reply

Paste this and edit the bracketed parts:

Subject: Print-ready artwork delivery: [Project name]

Message: Hi [Name], here’s the final print-ready package: [Link] Password (if needed): [Password] Please download the ZIP and use 01_PRINT_PDF/[filename] for printing. The folder also includes packaged source files and a short ReadMe. Any issues opening the PDF or links, tell me what device/app you’re using and I’ll help.

Why this works: you tell them exactly what to do, and you pre-empt the most common support question (“I can’t open it”) by asking for device and app details up front.

If the upload fails at 90%: the fixes designers actually use

Large uploads fail for boring reasons: hotel Wi‑Fi that drops for two seconds, a laptop going to sleep, or a browser tab getting “helpfully” suspended.

• Keep the machine awake until the upload finishes (sleep is the silent killer).
• Use a wired connection if you can, or move closer to the router.
• Upload from desktop, not mobile for big packaged folders.
• Try a different browser if the progress bar stalls.

If you need more step-by-step troubleshooting, visit the Help Center.

Security and privacy: what matters for client artwork

For most design deliveries, practical security beats theoretical perfection:

• Use an expiring link so old work does not live forever in someone’s inbox.
• Password-protect confidential work, and send the password separately (for example via a chat message).
• Prefer services that delete expired transfers rather than quietly keeping them.

For clarity: LetsSend links can be password protected, expire automatically, and expired transfers are deleted rather than archived. If you want to see how we handle data retention and privacy in plain terms, read how we handle your data. If you want to know who’s behind this advice, see the team behind LetsSend or contact us.

When a transfer link is not the best tool

Be honest with yourself about the job:

• Long-running brand work with constant revisions: cloud storage with a shared folder and clear permissions can be better.
• Massive broadcast or feature deliverables (very large, time-critical): specialised tools like MASV can be a better fit for throughput and delivery tracking.
• Highly regulated documents: you may need an enterprise DLP or a managed file transfer system.

For a normal design studio sending final print PDFs and packaged files, a simple expiring transfer link is usually the quickest, least confusing handoff.

Mini checklist: the “nothing breaks” print delivery

• Press PDF exported to printer spec
• Packaged source folder with links collected
• Open the packaged file once to confirm nothing is missing
• Clear folder structure (PRINT_PDF, PROOFS, SOURCE, README)
• ZIP the folder
• Send as one expiring link (password if sensitive)

If you need to send bigger than 5GB

If your delivery package is over 5GB (it happens with multi-language catalogues, layered PSDs, or huge image libraries), you can either split the ZIP into parts, or use a service tier built for larger transfers. LetsSend Pro supports up to 200GB per transfer with link expiry up to 30 days, and costs $12/month (as of August 2026). You can check whether that’s worth it on our pricing page.

Related workflow reading

If you also deliver to architecture clients or teams that juggle external references, you might like our recent guide: An architect’s guide to sharing CAD drawings and renders (without broken links or missing Xrefs).