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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →To attach a file is to add a document, photo, or other file to a message so the recipient can open or download it, subject to the app’s rules and access permissions. For example, attaching a PDF adds it to an email. Some services send a copy; others share a link to a file stored online.
What does “attach a file” mean?
“Attach” is the action of selecting an existing file and adding it to an email or another supported item. Common attachments include documents, spreadsheets, images, and audio files. A paperclip icon often indicates the attachment control, but its label and location depend on the app. Microsoft’s description of attachments in Outlook explains that selected files appear in the message’s attachment list.
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How do you attach a file to an email?
The usual process is to compose or open a message, choose the attachment control, select the file, and confirm. The exact controls vary by service and version.
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- Click Compose to start a message.
- Click Attach files.
- Choose one or more files, then click Open.
These are the desktop steps in Google’s Gmail attachment instructions.
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Apple Mail on iPhone
Mail lets you choose a document from Files, add a saved or newly captured photo or video, or scan a paper document into a PDF attachment. If a file exceeds the email account’s size limit, Mail presents instructions for using Mail Drop. See Apple’s iPhone Mail guide.
Is an attachment the same as a link?
No. In Outlook, the sender can attach a file copy or share a link to a file in OneDrive or SharePoint. A copy travels with the message as a separate file; a link points to an online file and depends on that file’s permissions. A link can keep the email smaller and point to the shared online version, while changes to the cloud original do not update a copy already sent. These options and behaviors are documented for Outlook by Microsoft Support; other services may work differently.
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- Choose a copy when the recipient should receive a separate file with the message.
- Choose a link when sharing the online file is appropriate, and check that recipients have permission to open it.
What can prevent a file from being attached or opened?
Size limits
Google sets a total attachment limit of 25 MB for personal Gmail accounts. If the total exceeds that limit, Gmail removes the attachment and adds it as a Google Drive link instead. Work and school Google Workspace limits are set by the administrator, so the personal-account limit should not be assumed to apply to them or to other email services. Google’s Gmail Help page also lists insufficient storage, a slow internet connection, and network or provider blocking as possible reasons an upload may fail.
Blocked file types
Gmail blocks executable files such as .exe for security reasons. If an attachment is rejected, follow the service’s security guidance rather than trying to bypass its restriction. Google explains its attachment restrictions.
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Cloud-link permissions
A recipient may be unable to open a shared link if its permissions do not include them. Outlook can warn when it detects that recipients may lack access. Check the link’s viewing or editing permissions and confirm that the intended recipients can reach the cloud location before sending. The available attachment controls also differ among new Outlook, classic Outlook, and Outlook on the web; Microsoft documents the versions separately in its Outlook attachment guide.
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