Google Forms file upload limit: how to collect large files
Applications, portfolios, contest entries, assignments, and video-production assets often require you to collect form responses and files together. Google Forms supports file uploads, but several limitations become apparent in real use.
- Uploads can stop when the form owner’s Google Drive runs out of space, especially when more people respond than expected.
- Respondents must sign in to Google to upload files.
- If a file upload fails or stops, the entire form submission stops.
- File management becomes complicated. It is hard to tell at a glance who submitted each file, and collecting several files per respondent can require ZIP files or separate folders.
With file.kiwi Google Forms Connector, you can keep the convenience of Google Forms while collecting large files separately and securely. Used thoughtfully, it can collect files without a file-size limit at no cost.
What is a file.kiwi Collection Web Folder?
file.kiwi offers three Web Folder types for different purposes.
- Delivery Web Folder: the owner uploads files, and anyone with the link can download them.
- Shared Web Folder: anyone with the link can upload and download files.
- Collection Web Folder: anyone with the link can upload, but only the owner can view and download the file list.
The Collection Web Folder in this guide is a web-based file collection space for receiving files from many people. Respondents cannot see files uploaded by others, making it suitable for applications, contest entries, and assignments.
Benefits of connecting a file.kiwi Collection Web Folder to Google Forms
Benefits for respondents
Complete the form first, then upload files
Respondents answer all required questions and submit the form before moving to the upload step. Separating answers from large-file transfer makes the current step easy to understand.
No need to see other respondents’ files
Each respondent receives a private upload page. They can upload their own files but cannot view files submitted by anyone else.
Upload without a Google Account
Because the standard Google Forms file-upload question is not used, respondents do not need to sign in to Google during the file.kiwi upload step. This reduces friction when collecting files from customers, entrants, or applicants using different account environments.
Benefits for the form owner
Keep using your existing Google Form
There is no new form tool to learn. Continue managing your existing questions, required answers, sections, and responses in Google Forms, and connect only the file-collection step.
Connect respondents and files with FileID
Google Forms automatically stores a FileID. When a file is attached, the same FileID is added to the beginning of its name. For example, Report.docx is saved as 0000123_Report.docx.
Keep every attachment neatly in one PC folder
After collection, select the files you need in the Collection Web Folder and download them together. There is no need to rename files or create a folder for each respondent. Sort by FileID to match the file list to the order of the form results.
How to use it
A. Prepare the form
1. Publish your Google Form
Create the questions for respondents in Google Forms. Because file.kiwi will receive the files, you do not need to add the standard File upload question.
2. Create and connect a Collection Web Folder in file.kiwi
Open the Google Forms connection screen.
If you have not registered, the sign-up screen appears first. After registration, you will see the dashboard below.
❷ Check [Connect Google Forms].
❸ Agree to the policy.
❹ Click [Create].
Choose the Google Account used to create the form and accept the permission request. The form picker will appear.
❷ Click Select.
Two links appear when the connection is complete. 
❷ Respondent submission link: the form-and-file submission address shared with respondents
3. Share the respondent submission link
Send respondents the respondent submission link instead of the original Google Forms URL. After completing the form, they move to a dedicated upload page. Uploaded files are saved with the FileID at the beginning of the file name.
B. Respondent submission
Anyone who receives the respondent submission link sees the Google Forms screen shown below.
❷ Click [Select files] to upload a file.
Try the respondent experience yourself: https://connect.file.kiwi/google/forms/2edff889
C. Manage submitted files
Download submitted files in bulk
❷ Click [Batch download].
When collection ends, open the Collection Web Folder and review the submitted files. Select the files you need, download them together, and compare each file’s FileID with the FileID in Google Forms to identify the respondent.
Cost
Web Folder Basic: free for short collection and immediate download
You can create a Collection Web Folder with Web Folder Basic. Files can be received for free with no file-size limit, but the free download window depends on file size. Download the files soon after the form closes to collect large files without extra cost. Learn more
Web Folder+: pay only for upload volume and retention time
Use Web Folder+ when files need to remain available longer or the collection schedule needs more flexibility. Instead of a monthly subscription, buy Upload-GB in advance; usage is deducted according to the uploaded file size and selected retention period. Unused Upload-GB can be reused in other Web Folder+ folders. This is more practical than a mandatory Google storage subscription. When participation is unpredictable, Google requires fixed capacity for the expected peak and unused capacity is wasted each month. With file.kiwi, purchased capacity remains available for future use. Learn more
Get started now.
Create a Collection Web Folder for Google Forms in the file.kiwi dashboard