552 5.3.4 Gmail bounce: gmail size limit exceeded
What 552 5.3.4 means
The message is larger than Gmail accepts, so it is refused; the page lists size, attachment count and header-size limits.
Message text
Your message exceeded Google's message size limits…
This is an excerpt: the provider's documentation shortens the message. Full text: provider documentation
Common causes of 552 5.3.4
- Message body or attachments are too large
- Too many attachments, or headers that are too large
How to fix 552 5.3.4
- Reduce the message size and remove large attachments.
- Send large files as a link, and check header size with email header analyzer if the message has very long headers.
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How to read 552 5.3.4
The first part, 552, is the SMTP reply code. Requested mail action aborted, exceeded storage allocation: the mailbox or message is too large. Replies that start with 4 are temporary and replies that start with 5 are permanent (RFC 5321 §4.2.1).
The second part, 5.3.4, is an enhanced status code (RFC 3463 §2) written class.subject.detail. Class 5 is a Permanent failure (5xx): the command was rejected and the sender should not repeat it unchanged (RFC 5321 §4.2.1; RFC 3463 §2).. Subject 3 is mail system: a problem with the receiving system as a whole. The detail number refines the subject, and providers may define details of their own, which is why one code can read differently at Gmail, Microsoft and Yahoo.
Do not keep resending the same message: a permanent failure repeats until the cause is fixed. Correct the cause, then send a new message.
Official source: knowledge.workspace.google.com. Last verified 2026-10-20.
Related guides
- How to create an SPF record (syntax and examples)
- How DKIM works and how to publish a DKIM record
- How to set up a DMARC record, from p=none to p=reject
Related codes
- 5.3.4 SMTP: message too big for system
- 550 5.7.26 Gmail: blocked by dmarc policy
- 550 5.7.26 Gmail: no spf or dkim pass
- 550 5.7.26 Gmail: SPF hard fail
- 550 5.7.27 Gmail: SPF not passed
- 550 5.7.25 Gmail: no PTR record
FAQ
What does 552 5.3.4 mean?
The message is larger than Gmail accepts, so it is refused; the page lists size, attachment count and header-size limits. This is a permanent failure.
How do I fix 552 5.3.4?
Reduce the message size and remove large attachments. Send large files as a link, and check header size with email header analyzer if the message has very long headers.
Is 552 5.3.4 permanent, and should I retry?
552 5.3.4 is a permanent failure, so retrying the same message will fail again. Fix the cause first, then send a new message.