---
title: About Git Large File Storage
intro: '{% data variables.large_files.product_name_short %} lets you push files to {% data variables.product.product_name %} that are larger than the Git push limit.'
redirect_from:
  - /articles/about-large-file-storage/
  - /articles/about-git-large-file-storage
versions:
  free-pro-team: '*'
  enterprise-server: '*'
---

{% data variables.large_files.product_name_short %} handles large files by storing references to the file in the repository, but not the actual file itself. To work around Git's architecture, {% data variables.large_files.product_name_short %} creates a pointer file which acts as a reference to the actual file (which is stored somewhere else). {% data variables.product.product_name %} manages this pointer file in your repository. When you clone the repository down, {% data variables.product.product_name %} uses the pointer file as a map to go and find the large file for you.

{% if currentVersion == "free-pro-team@latest" %}
Using {% data variables.large_files.product_name_short %}, you can store files up to:

| Product | Maximum file size |
|------- | ------- |
| {% data variables.product.prodname_free_user %} | 2 GB |
| {% data variables.product.prodname_pro %} | 2 GB |
| {% data variables.product.prodname_team %} | 4 GB |
| {% data variables.product.prodname_ghe_cloud %} | 5 GB |{% else %}
Using {% data variables.large_files.product_name_short %}, you can store files up to {% if currentVersion ver_lt "enterprise-server@2.21" %}{% data variables.large_files.max_lfs_size %}{% else %}5 GB{% endif %} in your repository.
{% endif %}  

You can also use {% data variables.large_files.product_name_short %} with {% data variables.product.prodname_desktop %}. For more information about cloning Git LFS repositories in {% data variables.product.prodname_desktop %}, see "[Cloning a repository from GitHub to GitHub Desktop](/desktop/guides/contributing-to-projects/cloning-a-repository-from-github-to-github-desktop)."

{% data reusables.large_files.can-include-lfs-objects-archives %}

#### Pointer file format

{% data variables.large_files.product_name_short %}'s pointer file looks like this:

```
version {% data variables.large_files.version_name %}
oid sha256:4cac19622fc3ada9c0fdeadb33f88f367b541f38b89102a3f1261ac81fd5bcb5
size 84977953
```

It tracks the `version` of {% data variables.large_files.product_name_short %} you're using, followed by a unique identifier for the file (`oid`). It also stores the `size` of the final file.

{% tip %}

**Tip**: {% data variables.large_files.product_name_short %} cannot be used with {% data variables.product.prodname_pages %} sites.

{% endtip %}

### Further reading

- "[Collaboration with {% data variables.large_files.product_name_long %}](/articles/collaboration-with-git-large-file-storage)"