How to Attach Photos in Gmail

Written by Jack Lloyd

Last Updated: November 27, 2022

On Mobile

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On Desktop

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Q&A

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Tips

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Warnings

This wikiHow teaches you how to add photos to an email in Gmail. You can do this both in the Gmail mobile app and on the desktop site. Keep in mind that Gmail allows for a maximum of 25 megabytes' worth of attachments per email.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

On Mobile

1
Open Gmail. Tap the Gmail app, which is white with a red "M" on it, to open Gmail. If you're already logged in on your phone or tablet, Gmail will open to your inbox.
- If you aren't logged in, enter your Gmail email address and password to continue.
2
Tap the pencil icon. You'll see this in the lower-right side of the screen. Doing so opens the New Message window.

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3
Compose your email's text. Enter your recipient's email address in the "To" field, add a subject in the "Subject" field (optional), and type in your email's body text in the "Compose email" field.
4
Tap the paperclip icon. It's in the upper-right corner of the screen.
5
Select a photo to upload. Tap a photo from one of the albums at the bottom of the screen. You can also tap and hold a photo to select it and then tap more photos to select them as well.
- If you're adding multiple photos at once, tap INSERT in the top-right corner of the screen before continuing.
6
Tap the "Send" arrow. It's the paper plane-shaped icon in the top-right corner of the screen. This will send your email, photos and all, to your recipient.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

On Desktop

1
Open Gmail. Go to https://www.gmail.com/ in your preferred web browser. This will open your Gmail inbox if you're already logged into Gmail on your computer.
- If you aren't logged in, click Sign In and enter your email address and password.
2
Click COMPOSE. This button is on the left side of the inbox, just below the "Gmail" heading. A blank email form will appear on the right side of the inbox.
3
Compose your email's text. Enter your recipient's email address in the "To" field, add a subject in the "Subject" field (optional), and type in your email's body text in the blank field below the "Subject" area.
4
Click the paperclip icon. It's at the bottom of the "New Message" window. This will bring up a window from which you can add files that are on your computer.
- If you would prefer to attach a photo from Google Drive, instead click the triangular Google Drive icon.
5
Select a photo to upload. Go to the location on your computer where the photo is stored, then double-click it.
- To upload multiple photos, hold down the Control key and click each photo you want to upload, then click Open.
6
Click Send. It's in the bottom-left corner of the New Message window. This will send your email--and the attached photos--to your recipient.

Community Q&A

Question

How do I add a picture from the My Pictures folder with Gmail? When I click Attach Photo, the only pictures to show up are not from My Pictures documents. What can I do?

Community Answer

Click the "Upload" tab toward the top of the screen. This will allow you to either drag-and-drop a picture, or click the Upload button to navigate to the My Pictures folder.
Question

How do I insert pictures in the body of the email instead of attaching them?

Community Answer

After you have composed your message in the "New Message" pop-up window, go to the bottom-most bar of the window. There will be 6 icons on the right of the "Send" button. Click on the 4th icon — the image icon. An "Insert Photo" dialogue box will open up, allowing you to select the picture(s) of your choice. On the bottom right of the box, make sure the "Insert images" option is set to "Inline" not "As attachment." Then, once you have selected the picture(s), click on the "Insert" button at the bottom left of the dialogue box.
Question

What if I've pressed "Compose," but there is no paperclip icon?

Community Answer

You can copy and paste a photo by left clicking the image, selecting "Copy," then going to Gmail and left clicking the spot in which you would like to place it, then hitting "Paste."