The basic steps for all email services

To attach a document to an email, open your email draft and look for a paperclip icon or an "Attach" button — the location depends on which email service you use. Click it, navigate to the file on your computer, select it, and click "Open" or "Attach". The file name will then appear in the attachment area of your email, usually below the subject line or in a separate section. You can attach multiple files this way by repeating the process.

The paperclip icon is the standard symbol across Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo Mail, and most other services. If you cannot find it in the compose window, look for a plus sign, a menu button (three horizontal lines), or text that says "Add attachment" or "Insert". Some services also let you drag and drop files directly into the compose area instead of using the button.

Before you send, check that the file actually appears in the attachment section — do not rely on memory. The email will send without the file if the attachment did not go through, and the recipient will not know to ask for it.

Key Takeaways

  • Click the paperclip icon or "Attach" button in your email draft, then select the file from your computer and confirm.
  • The file name should appear in a visible attachment area before you send — verify it is there.
  • Most email services let you attach multiple files by repeating the process, but check your service's file size limit first.
  • If the paperclip is not visible, look for a plus sign, menu button, or "Add attachment" text in the compose window.
  • Large files may fail to attach or take a long time to upload — compress the file or use a file-sharing service if it exceeds your email provider's limit.

Where to find the attach button in Gmail

In Gmail, the paperclip icon sits at the bottom left of the compose window, below the message text box. Click it once and a file browser will open. Navigate to the folder where your document is stored, click the file name, and click "Open". The file will upload and its name will appear in the attachment area just above the send button.

If you are using Gmail on a phone or tablet, tap the paperclip icon at the bottom of the compose screen. You can then choose to upload a file from your device or take a photo to attach. Gmail also lets you drag files directly into the compose area on a desktop — just drag from your file manager and drop them into the message.

Where to find the attach button in Outlook and Outlook.com

In Outlook (the desktop application), the "Attach File" button is in the ribbon at the top of the compose window. Click it, find your file, and click "Insert". In Outlook.com (the web version), look for the paperclip icon at the bottom of the compose area. Click it, select your file, and it will upload.

Outlook also has an "Insert" menu at the top that contains attachment options. You can attach files, insert links to files stored in OneDrive, or add files from recent documents. If you use OneDrive, Outlook can attach a link to the file instead of uploading the whole file — this is useful for large documents.

Where to find the attach button in Yahoo Mail

In Yahoo Mail, click the paperclip icon in the compose toolbar at the bottom of the message. A file browser will open. Select your document and click "Open". The file name will appear in the attachment section below the subject line.

Yahoo Mail also lets you drag and drop files directly into the compose window. If you are attaching a large file, Yahoo will show you the upload progress. Files must be under 25 megabytes each.

File size limits and what to do if your file is too large

Most email services have a maximum file size for attachments. Gmail allows up to 25 megabytes per file, Outlook.com allows 20 megabytes, and Yahoo Mail allows 25 megabytes. If your file is larger, the email service will not let you send it.

If your file exceeds the limit, you have two options: compress the file or use a file-sharing service. To compress a file on Windows, right-click it, select "Send to", and click "Compressed (zipped) folder". On a Mac, right-click the file and select "Compress". Compression reduces the file size but may take a few minutes depending on the file type and size.

Alternatively, upload the file to Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, or another file-sharing service, then share the link in your email instead of attaching the file itself. This method works for files of any size and lets the recipient download the file on their own schedule.

Attaching multiple files at once

You can attach as many files as you want to a single email, as long as the total size does not exceed your email service's limit. Click the attach button once for each file, or select multiple files at the same time in the file browser by holding Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac) while clicking each file name, then click "Open".

Each file will appear as a separate item in the attachment area. You can remove a file before sending by clicking the X next to its name. If you are sending many large files, consider using a file-sharing service instead — it is faster and more reliable than attaching them all to one email.

Troubleshooting: attachment did not go through

If you sent an email and the attachment did not arrive, the most common cause is that the file did not actually attach — it looked like it was there, but the upload failed silently. Open a new draft, attach the file again, and watch the upload progress bar. If there is no progress bar, the file may not have attached.

If the file is very large, the upload may time out before it finishes. Try compressing the file or breaking it into smaller pieces. If the file type is unusual or contains code, your email service may have blocked it for security reasons — try converting it to a different format (for example, save a Word document as a PDF) and attaching that instead.

If you are on a slow internet connection, wait a few seconds after selecting the file before clicking send. Some email services require the upload to finish completely before you can send the message.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I attach a document that is on my phone or tablet?

Yes. Open your email app, start a new message, and tap the attach button. You will see options to upload a file from your device's storage, take a photo, or select a file from cloud storage like Google Drive or OneDrive. Select the file and it will attach to your email.

What if the recipient says they did not get the attachment?

Ask them to check their spam or junk folder — sometimes attachments trigger spam filters. If it is not there, the file likely did not attach despite appearing to do so. Resend the email and watch the upload progress bar to confirm the file is uploading. If the file is very large, try compressing it or using a file-sharing link instead.

Can I attach a file from Google Drive or OneDrive without downloading it first?

Yes. In Gmail, click the paperclip icon and select "Google Drive" to attach a file directly from your Drive. In Outlook, click "Insert" and choose "OneDrive" to attach from there. This method does not download the file to your computer first — it links directly to the cloud version.

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

There is no limit to the number of files, but the total size of all attachments combined cannot exceed your email service's limit. Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo all allow 25 megabytes total per email. If you need to send more files, use a file-sharing service or send multiple emails.

What file types can I attach?

Most email services accept common file types like PDF, Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, images, and text files. Some services block executable files (.exe) and certain other formats for security reasons. If your file type is blocked, try converting it to a different format — for example, save a Word document as a PDF.