How to Send and Receive Email Attachments (Photos and Documents)

Sending a photo or file by email is easy once you know where the attachment button is — here's how it works on iPhone and computer.

Attach a photo or file to an email on iPhone

~36s

Start composing an email in the Mail app. Tap in the body of the email. Look for a small arrow or toolbar above the keyboard — tap the arrow if you need to scroll it. Tap the attachment icon (looks like a paperclip or camera). Choose "Photo Library" to attach a photo from your camera roll, or "Scan Document" to attach a scan. Select the photo or file, and it will appear in your email.

Quick Tip

In Gmail on iPhone, compose a new email and tap the paperclip icon at the top right of the compose window to add an attachment. Tap "Attach file" or "Insert from Drive."

Attach a file to an email on a Windows computer

~23s

In Gmail on a computer, click "Compose" to start a new email. At the bottom of the compose window, click the paperclip icon. A file browser opens — navigate to the photo or document you want to attach (photos are often in the "Pictures" folder). Double-click the file to attach it. You'll see it appear at the bottom of your email before you send.

Open an attachment someone sent you

~38s

When an email has an attachment, you'll see a paperclip icon on the email in your inbox or a preview of the file inside the email. On iPhone: tap the attachment image or file name to open it. For photos, they open in Photos app. For PDFs, they open in a reading view. Tap the Share icon to save or forward it. On a computer: click the attachment file name or thumbnail to download it to your computer, then open it from your Downloads folder.

Warning

Only open attachments from people you know and trust. Attachments from strangers — especially .exe files, .zip files, or unexpected documents — can contain viruses or malware. When in doubt, do not open it.

You Did It!

You've completed: How to Send and Receive Email Attachments (Photos and Documents)

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Email attachments let you share photos, documents, and files along with your email message. The paperclip icon (📎) is the universal symbol for attachments across all email services. Here's how to attach a file to an email and how to open attachments you receive.

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