The fastest way: use the compose window

Open Mail and start a new message. Tap the compose field where you would type your message, then look for a small arrow or plus sign at the bottom left of the keyboard. On most iPhones, this is a curved arrow pointing up. Tap it, then tap the attachment icon — it looks like a paperclip. Select "Photo or Video" from the menu that appears.

Your photo library will open. Find the picture you want to send, tap it once to select it, then tap "Insert" or "Done" at the bottom right. The photo will attach to your email. You can add multiple photos this way by repeating the process before you send.

Key Takeaways

  • Tap the arrow or plus icon at the bottom left of the compose keyboard, then select the paperclip icon to access your photo library.
  • You can attach multiple photos to a single email by selecting them one at a time before sending.
  • If you don't see the attachment option, make sure you've tapped inside the message body first, not just the "To:" field.
  • Large photos may be automatically compressed by iPhone before sending, which reduces file size but keeps the image quality acceptable for most purposes.

What to do if the attachment icon doesn't appear

If you tap the arrow or plus sign and don't see a paperclip or attachment option, you may have tapped in the wrong place. Make sure you're tapping inside the main message body — the large white area where you type your email text — not in the "To:" or "Subject:" fields.

On some older iPhone models or older versions of iOS, the attachment button may be in a different location. Try tapping and holding inside the message body. A menu should appear with options including "Insert Photo or Video." If that doesn't work, swipe left on the keyboard to reveal more options.

Attaching photos from different sources

The "Photo or Video" option in the attachment menu pulls from your Camera Roll and photo library. If you want to attach a photo that's stored in a different app — like a screenshot saved in Notes, or a photo from a messaging app — you may need to save it to your photo library first. Open the app where the photo is stored, find the image, and look for a "Save" or "Share" option that lets you save it to Photos.

You can also attach photos directly from iCloud Drive or other cloud storage apps. Instead of tapping "Photo or Video," look for a "Browse" or "Files" option in the attachment menu. This opens the Files app, where you can navigate to your cloud storage and select any file stored there.

Why your photos might look different after sending

iPhone automatically compresses photos before sending them through email. This means the file size gets smaller, but the image quality usually stays good enough for viewing on a screen. If you're sending a photo that needs to stay at full resolution — for example, a professional photo or a detailed document — you might want to use a file-sharing service like iCloud Drive or Google Drive instead, and send a link in your email.

You can also change how iPhone compresses photos. Go to Settings, tap Mail, scroll down to "Composing," and look for an option about image size. Some versions of iOS let you choose between "Small," "Medium," "Large," or "Actual Size." Selecting "Actual Size" sends the photo without compression, but the email will take longer to send and may not arrive on older email systems.

Attaching multiple photos at once

If you need to send several photos, you don't have to attach them one by one. After you tap the attachment icon and select "Photo or Video," look for a "Select Multiple" or checkmark icon at the top right of your photo library. Tap it, then tap each photo you want to include. A blue checkmark will appear on each selected photo.

Once you've selected all the photos you want, tap "Insert" or "Done." All of them will attach to your email at once. This is faster than selecting photos individually, especially if you're sending more than two or three.

What to do if the attachment won't send

If you've attached a photo but the email won't send, the most common reason is that the file is too large for your email provider to handle. Most email services have a limit — often between 20 and 25 megabytes for a single message. If you're attaching several high-resolution photos, you may hit that limit.

Try removing one or two photos and sending the email again. If that works, you know file size was the problem. For future emails with many photos, use a cloud storage link instead: save the photos to iCloud Drive, Google Drive, or Dropbox, then share a link in your email rather than attaching the files directly. The recipient can download the photos from the link without your email hitting the size limit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I attach a photo that's in my Messages app?

Not directly from Messages. Open the photo in Messages, tap it to make it full-screen, then tap "Save" or the download icon. This saves it to your photo library. Then use the normal attachment process in Mail to send it.

What if I want to attach a photo but I'm replying to an email, not starting a new one?

The process is the same. Open the reply, tap inside the message body, tap the arrow or plus sign, then select the paperclip icon. The photo will attach to your reply just as it would to a new message.

Does attaching a photo use my data plan?

Yes. Sending an email with a photo uses data whether you're on Wi-Fi or cellular. If you're on a limited data plan, sending many large photos could use up your monthly allowance faster. Compressing photos or using a cloud link instead can help reduce data use.

Can I attach a photo directly from my camera without saving it first?

No. You have to take the photo and save it to your photo library first. You can't attach a photo directly from the Camera app. However, the photo saves automatically to your library as soon as you take it, so the process is nearly instant.