The basic steps for attaching a photo

To attach a photo to an email, open your email program or website, start writing your message, then look for a button or icon that says "Attach," "Paperclip," or shows a paperclip symbol. Click it, find the photo file on your computer or phone, select it, and open it. The photo will appear in your email as an attachment. You can then send the message as usual.

The exact location of the attach button changes depending on which email service you use — Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo Mail, or your phone's built-in email app all arrange their buttons differently. But the concept is the same across all of them: find the attach button, choose your file, and send.

Most email services let you attach multiple photos at once. You can usually select several files before clicking open, or attach one photo, then attach another, then another. There is no strict limit in most cases, though very large files or too many files at once may slow down your email or cause it to fail to send.

Key Takeaways

  • The attach button is usually a paperclip icon or labeled "Attach" and sits near the send button in your email program.
  • You can attach photos from your computer, phone, or cloud storage like Google Drive or OneDrive, depending on your email service.
  • Photos taken on phones are often very large files; if your email fails to send, try attaching fewer photos or smaller versions.
  • Most email services compress photos slightly when you attach them, so the recipient sees a smaller file than what is on your device.

Where to find the attach button in common email services

Gmail (on a computer) shows a paperclip icon at the bottom left of the compose window. Click it and choose "Files" to browse your computer, or "Google Drive" to attach a file you have already stored there. On a phone, the paperclip is usually at the bottom of the screen or in a menu marked with three dots.

Outlook (on a computer) has an "Attach" button in the toolbar at the top of the compose window. On a phone, look for a paperclip icon or a plus sign. Outlook also lets you attach files directly from OneDrive, Microsoft's cloud storage.

Yahoo Mail shows a paperclip icon in the compose area. Click it to browse your computer or attach from Yahoo's cloud storage. Apple Mail (on Mac or iPhone) uses a paperclip icon in the compose window. On iPhone, you can also take a photo directly in the email and attach it without leaving the app.

If you cannot find the attach button, look for a menu marked with three dots or lines (sometimes called a "hamburger menu"). The attach option is often hidden there on phones and tablets.

File size and what happens when photos are too large

Photos from modern phones are often 3 to 8 megabytes each, depending on the camera quality and the phone model. Most email services accept attachments up to 20 to 25 megabytes total per email, though this varies. If your email fails to send and you see an error about file size, you have attached something too large.

When this happens, you have three options: attach fewer photos, use a smaller version of the photo, or use a file-sharing service like Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive instead. To make a photo smaller before attaching it, you can use your phone's built-in photo editor or a free tool on your computer. Most phones let you crop or reduce the quality of a photo in seconds.

Many email services also compress photos automatically when you attach them, so the recipient receives a smaller file than what sits on your device. This compression usually happens without you doing anything — the email service handles it behind the scenes.

Attaching photos from your phone

On Android phones, open your email app, start a new message, and look for a paperclip or plus icon. Tap it and choose "Photos" or "Gallery." Select the photo you want and tap "Open" or "Done." Some Android phones let you take a photo directly in the email app without leaving to open the camera.

On iPhones, the process is similar. Open Mail, start a new message, tap in the body of the email, then look for a menu that appears. Tap "Add Attachment" or a paperclip icon. Choose "Photos" and select the image. You can also hold down on the compose area and tap "Add Attachment" if that menu does not appear automatically.

Phone email apps sometimes limit how many photos you can attach at once, or they may attach them more slowly than a computer would. If you are attaching many photos, a computer usually works faster and more reliably.

Using cloud storage instead of direct attachment

If your photos are too large to attach or you want to send many at once, use a cloud storage service instead. Upload your photos to Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, or iCloud, then share a link to that folder in your email. The recipient can then view or read the photos without you having to attach them directly.

This method is often faster and more reliable, especially for large batches of photos. It also gives you control over who can see the photos and for how long. You can set an expiration date on the link or require a password.

Most email services now let you attach files directly from cloud storage without downloading them to your computer first. In Gmail, for example, you can click "Attach" and choose "Google Drive" to pick a file that is already stored there. Outlook works the same way with OneDrive.

Common problems and how to fix them

The email will not send. This usually means the attachment is too large. Try removing one or two photos and sending again. If that works, you know file size was the problem. Next time, use fewer photos or a smaller version, or send a link to cloud storage instead.

The attach button is not visible. On phones and tablets, it may be hidden in a menu. Look for three dots or lines at the top or bottom of the compose window. On a computer, make sure you have clicked into the compose area and are not still looking at your inbox.

The photo attached but looks blurry or low quality. Your email service may have compressed it, or the file itself was low quality to begin with. If the recipient needs a high-quality version, send it through cloud storage or a file-sharing service instead, which usually preserves the original quality.

I attached the photo but cannot see it in the preview. Some email services do not show a preview of attached photos in the compose window, but the photo is still there. Send the email and ask the recipient to confirm they received it. If they did not, try attaching again or use a different method.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I attach a photo I took just now without saving it first?

On most phones, yes. Many email apps let you take a photo directly within the app and attach it without saving it to your phone's photo library first. On a computer, you would need to save the photo first, then attach it. Check your email app's menu to see if there is a "Take Photo" or "Camera" option.

What if the person I am emailing says they did not receive the attachment?

Ask them to check their spam or junk folder — sometimes attachments trigger spam filters. If it is not there, try sending the photo again, or use a cloud storage link instead. If the file is very large, it may have been blocked by their email provider's size limit, which is different from yours.

Can I attach a photo from the internet directly to an email?

Most email services do not let you attach a photo by pasting a web link. You would need to read the photo to your computer or phone first, then attach it. Some email apps have a "search the web" feature that lets you find and attach images without downloading, but this varies by service.

Is there a limit to how many photos I can attach?

There is no hard limit on the number of photos, but there is a limit on total file size — usually 20 to 25 megabytes per email. Depending on photo size, this might be 3 to 10 photos. If you need to send more, use cloud storage or send multiple emails.

Do I need to do anything special to attach a photo from my cloud storage?

No. If your email service supports it (Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo all do), click the attach button and look for an option to choose from Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox. Select the photo and it will be attached. You do not need to read it first.