You cannot directly increase the file upload limit in Salesforce beyond its built-in caps, but there are practical ways to work around those limits. Salesforce enforces a maximum file size of 2 GB for Files stored in Salesforce Content, though most standard upload methods cap out much lower in practice. The good news is that external storage integrations, chunked uploads, and smarter document management strategies give you real options. This article walks through the limits, the workarounds, and how to manage large document volumes inside Salesforce without constantly hitting a wall.
The default file upload limit in Salesforce depends on which storage mechanism you use. For Salesforce Files (stored via Salesforce Content), the maximum file size is 2 GB. For Attachments on records, the limit is 25 MB per file. For standard file uploads through the UI, Salesforce typically enforces a practical cap of 2 GB, but many browser-based uploads struggle well before that threshold.
Here is a quick breakdown of the limits you will encounter across different Salesforce storage types:
The 2 GB ceiling sounds generous, but teams working with video files, large CAD drawings, or bulk contract archives will still run into friction, especially when uploading through a browser or dealing with slower network connections.
No, you cannot increase the file upload limit in Salesforce beyond the platform’s enforced maximums through standard configuration. Salesforce sets these limits at the platform level, and they are not adjustable through org settings, permission sets, or admin controls. What you can do is work smarter within those limits or route large files through external storage that bypasses them entirely.
If your files consistently exceed 2 GB, the only real path forward is integrating an external storage system such as SharePoint, Google Drive, or a dedicated document management platform. These systems store the actual file outside Salesforce while keeping a linked reference on the Salesforce record, so your team still accesses everything from one place without bumping into platform caps.
Salesforce enforces file size limits to protect platform performance, storage costs, and data integrity across its multi-tenant architecture. Because thousands of organizations share the same underlying infrastructure, Salesforce has to prevent any single org from consuming disproportionate resources. Large file uploads can spike server load, slow down API response times, and inflate storage costs for everyone on the platform.
There is also a practical licensing angle. Salesforce sells storage as a paid resource, and file storage is counted against your org’s total allocation. Each Salesforce license comes with a baseline storage allowance, and once you exceed it, you either purchase additional storage or manage your files more efficiently. For document-intensive teams, this is where storage costs can quietly add up.
The most effective workarounds for uploading large files in Salesforce involve chunked uploads via the API, external storage integration, or compressing files before upload. Each approach has trade-offs depending on your technical setup and how your team works day to day.
External document storage integration fundamentally changes the file size equation by removing Salesforce’s storage limits from the picture. When files are stored in an external system such as SharePoint or OneDrive, Salesforce only holds a reference link rather than the file itself. This means the actual file size is governed by the external platform’s limits, which are typically far more generous, and your Salesforce storage allocation stays clean.
Beyond the size benefit, external integrations also unlock real-time co-authoring, version history, and broader team access for people who may not have Salesforce licenses. A contract stored in SharePoint and linked to a Salesforce opportunity can be edited by a legal team member in Word while the sales rep tracks the deal in Salesforce. Both sides see the same current version without emailing attachments back and forth.
The practical trade-off is that you introduce a dependency on a second platform. If the external storage system goes down or permissions drift, your Salesforce users may lose access to files they expect to find on records. Good governance and a clear document management model matter a lot here.
Salesforce Files, Attachments, and Content Deliveries are three distinct mechanisms for handling files in Salesforce, and they serve different purposes. Salesforce Files is the current standard for document storage, supporting up to 2 GB per file and enabling sharing across multiple records. Attachments are a legacy feature tied to a single record, capped at 25 MB, and Salesforce has largely deprecated them in favor of Files. Content Deliveries are a distribution feature that generates a public or private URL to share a file externally, without giving the recipient access to Salesforce itself.
The key distinction that matters for most teams is between Files and Attachments. If your org still uses Attachments heavily, migrating to Salesforce Files gives you higher size limits, better sharing controls, and a cleaner record view. Content Deliveries are useful for sending files to clients or partners who need to view a document without logging in, but they are not a storage mechanism on their own.
For teams doing a bulk file upload migration from Attachments to Files, the process typically involves exporting existing Attachments via data export, then re-uploading them as Content Documents linked to the same records. It is worth doing this migration in batches rather than all at once to avoid storage spikes.
Managing large document volumes inside Salesforce long-term requires a clear file organization strategy, consistent naming conventions, and a plan for archiving or offloading files that are no longer actively used. Without structure, even a well-configured Salesforce org becomes a dumping ground for duplicate files, outdated versions, and orphaned documents that no one can find when they need them.
The most durable approach combines a few habits and tools:
The teams that manage this best tend to treat document management as an ongoing operational discipline rather than a one-time setup task. Checking your storage and plan options periodically also ensures you are not paying for capacity you do not need or running short without warning.
If your team is constantly hitting file size limits, drowning in duplicates, or struggling to find the right version of a document inside Salesforce, we built Cartularius to solve exactly that. As a Salesforce-native document management solution, Cartularius gives you a structured, intuitive layer on top of Salesforce that makes large document volumes manageable without forcing your team to switch platforms or learn new tools from scratch.
Here is what that looks like in practice:
If you want to stop working around Salesforce’s file limits and start working with a system that handles document management properly, explore what Cartularius can do for your team at cartularius.com/features.
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