# How to add an attachment in Apple Mail on Mac: steps, photos, and large files

> How to add an attachment in Apple Mail on Mac: use the Attach button, ⇧⌘A, or drag a file in. Covers photos and Mail Drop for big files.

URL: https://www.lazur.app/how-to/add-an-attachment-to-an-email-in-apple-mail
Updated: 2026-11-07

To add an attachment in Apple Mail on Mac, open your message, click the Attach button in the toolbar, choose Attach Files, select the file, and click Choose File. You can also press ⇧⌘A, or drag a file from the desktop, Finder, or another app straight into the message.

## Quick answer

- Open a new message, click the Attach button, choose Attach Files, select the file, and click Choose File.
- For a photo, choose Photos instead, select it, and click Add. Dragging a file into the message works too.
- Press ⇧⌘A to open the same file picker without touching the toolbar.
- Check the message size in the header. If it turns red, shrink the attachments or use Mail Drop.
- Mail Drop sends files larger than your provider allows through iCloud. Each one expires 30 days after sending.

Applies to: Apple Mail on Mac, macOS 27 Golden Gate and macOS Tahoe 26. Time: 5 min. Difficulty: Easy.

## What you need

- Apple Mail on a Mac with at least one email account set up
- The file saved on your Mac, in Finder, on the desktop, or in Photos
- For Mail Drop, an iCloud account or a provider that Mail asks about

## How to Attach a file to an email in Apple Mail on Mac in Apple Mail on a Mac

1. **Start a new message.** Click the New Message button in the Mail toolbar. Address the message and add a subject line before you attach anything. A clear subject makes it easier to find the draft if you switch away to look for a file. Tip: If you already have a draft open, you can attach files to it directly.
2. **Click the Attach button.** Shortcut: ⇧⌘A. In the compose window toolbar, click the Attach button. It looks like a paperclip. If you can't find it, your toolbar may have been customized, so search Mail's Help menu for Attach.
3. **Choose Attach Files.** Shortcut: ⇧⌘A. Choose Attach Files from the menu. A file picker opens. This is the option Apple's guide names for documents, and it is the same action the ⇧⌘A shortcut runs. Tip: Use the shortcut if you attach files often. It skips the toolbar.
4. **Select the file and click Choose File.** Find the file in the picker and select it. Hold Command and click to add more files. When you're done, click Choose File. Mail adds each file to the message as an attachment. Tip: Hold Command and click to select several files in one pass.
5. **Add a photo from your library.** For a photo, click Attach and choose Photos instead of Attach Files. Select the picture, then click Add. Apple's Mac guide also covers taking a photo, scanning a document, or adding a sketch with a nearby iPhone or iPad.
6. **Or drag the file in.** Open the folder in Finder or find the file on your desktop. Drag it over the message body and let go. This does the same job as the Attach button, and it works for files from other apps too. Tip: Drag a message from the message list to attach the whole email.
7. **Check the size in the header.** Look at the message size on the left side of the header. If the number turns red, your attachments are over the provider's limit. Remove a file, shrink it, or let Mail Drop send the large ones. Tip: Check the size again after you add or remove a file.
8. **Send the message.** Shortcut: ⇧⌘D. Press ⇧⌘D or click Send. Mail sends the email with its attachments. If you sent too early, ⌘Z is Apple's Unsend shortcut for the email you just sent.

Apple Mail on Mac gives you three ways to attach a file. You can use the Attach button in the compose window, drag the file in from Finder or the desktop, or add a photo from your library. This guide covers all three, plus the keyboard shortcut, the setting that keeps attachments at the bottom of the message, and what to do when a file is too big. The steps follow Apple's Mail User Guide for Mac. Apple's current guide lists macOS 27 Golden Gate first, then macOS Tahoe 26.

![Person writing an email on a laptop, ready to add an attachment in Apple Mail](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/add-an-attachment-to-an-email-in-apple-mail/how-to-add-an-attachment-in-apple-1-3ae07e.jpg)

## Attach a photo from your Photos library

Photos use the same Attach button, but you pick a different option. Open the message, click Attach, and choose Photos instead of Attach Files. Select the picture you want, then click Add. Apple's Mac guide also says you can take a photo, scan documents, or add a sketch with a nearby iPhone or iPad. That option is useful when the picture you need is on your phone and not on your Mac.

## Drag files in from Finder or the desktop

Dragging is often the fastest route when the file already sits in Finder. Open a Finder window or find the file on your desktop. Drag it over the message body and let go. Mail adds the file as an attachment. You can select several files first and drag them as one group. If you want attachments at the bottom of your text, turn on the setting covered further down this page.

The same drag works for emails. Drag a message from the message list into the message you're writing, and Mail attaches it. This helps when you want to pass along a thread without copying its text. A forwarded email counts toward the same size limits as any other file, so check the header before you send.

![Office worker sending files by email on a laptop, the kind of task an Apple Mail attachment handles](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/add-an-attachment-to-an-email-in-apple-mail/how-to-add-an-attachment-in-apple-3-70bd2b.jpg)

## Forward an email as an attachment

Sometimes the original email should arrive as its own file, not as quoted text. Select the message in the list, then choose Message > Forward as Attachment. Mail starts a new draft with the original message attached. Apple's pages do not list a keyboard shortcut for this command. ⇧⌘F is a different command, Forward the selected email, so check which one you get before you send.

## Keyboard shortcuts for attaching and sending

Apple's Mail keyboard shortcuts page lists one shortcut that is specifically for attachments. The others cover the steps just before and after you attach. Here is the short list that matters when you are writing a message with files.

- ⇧⌘A: Attach files to your email. This is the only attachment-specific shortcut Apple lists.
- ⇧⌘D: Send the email you're writing.
- ⇧⌘F: Forward the selected email. This is not the same as Forward as Attachment.
- ⌘Z: Unsend the email you just sent.
- ⌥⌘I: Append selected emails to your email.

> **Fastest way to attach:** Press ⇧⌘A from the compose window. It opens the same Attach Files picker as the toolbar button, so you still click Choose File to finish.

## Keep attachments at the bottom of the message

Attachments can end up in the middle of your text if you don't change a setting. To send them to the end, choose Edit > Attachments > Always Insert Attachments at End of Message. A checkmark next to the item shows that it's on. Choose it again to turn it off. Once it's on, attachments go to the end of the message, so your text reads first.

## Send attachments that open on Windows

If the person you're sending to uses Windows, turn on Apple's Windows-friendly option. To use it for every message, choose Edit > Attachments > Always Send Windows-Friendly Attachments. To use it for one message, click Attach, choose Attach Files, and select Send Windows-Friendly Attachments. If you don't see that option, click Show Options.

## What happens when a file is too big

Each email provider sets its own message size limit. Apple's Mac guide says the message size shown on the left of the header turns red when your attachments go over that limit. When that happens, you have two choices. Reduce the number or size of the files, or send the large ones with Mail Drop.

For comparison, Google's Gmail Help says personal Gmail accounts have a 25 MB attachment limit. When the total is larger, Gmail removes the attachment and adds it as a Google Drive link. Work and school limits are set by the Workspace administrator. Apple does not give one number for the Mac app, so check your own provider's documentation for its limit.

- **5 GB** Largest single attachment Apple says Mail Drop accepts ([source](https://support.apple.com/en-us/108329))
- **30 days** How long a Mail Drop attachment stays available after sending ([source](https://support.apple.com/en-us/108329))
- **25 MB** Attachment limit for personal Gmail accounts, after which Gmail adds a Drive link ([source](https://support.google.com/mail/answer/6584?hl=en))
- **1 TB** Total Mail Drop storage cap Apple lists ([source](https://support.apple.com/en-us/108329))

Shrinking a file is often quicker than sending it through Mail Drop. Exporting a PDF at a lower quality setting can cut its size, depending on the file. A folder needs different handling. Zip it first, because Apple says an uncompressed folder cannot go through Mail Drop.

## How Mail Drop works for large files

Mail Drop handles files that are larger than the provider allows. It uploads them to iCloud, where they are encrypted and stored for up to 30 days. Mail Drop attachments don't count against your iCloud storage. For iCloud accounts, Mail uses Mail Drop automatically when you're signed in. For other providers, Mail asks you each time.

Select Don't ask again for this account to make that choice permanent. After that, Mail stops asking and uses Mail Drop for large files on that account. Check the setting if you expected a prompt and didn't get one.

![Man working at a Mac on a desk, checking attachment size before sending in Apple Mail](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/add-an-attachment-to-an-email-in-apple-mail/how-to-add-an-attachment-in-apple-2-7f853f.jpg)

Apple's limits page gives the hard numbers. Read the table before you send anything close to the limit.

| Mail Drop rule | Limit | What it means for you |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Size per attachment | 5 GB | A single file larger than this can't go through Mail Drop. |
| Mail Drop storage | 1 TB | Mail Drop can't be used once the 1 TB storage limit is reached. |
| Expiry | 30 days | Each attachment expires 30 days after sending. |
| Whole message | Over 5 GB | Mail Drop can't send a message with attachments over 5 GB. |
| Folders | Uncompressed | An uncompressed folder can't go through Mail Drop. Zip it first. |
| Recipients | Maximum number | Mail Drop can't be used when the maximum number of recipients is exceeded. |

_Mail Drop limits, from Apple's Mail Drop limits page_

## Turn Mail Drop on or off

Open Mail > Settings, then click Accounts. Select the account, click Account Information, and select or deselect Send large attachments with Mail Drop. Each account has its own setting, so repeat the steps if you use more than one. Turning it off means large files won't go through iCloud, so you'll need another way to send them.

## Send from iCloud.com instead

The iCloud.com web app has its own steps. Open the compose window and click the Attach button in the top-right corner. Choose iCloud Drive, iCloud Photos, or your device. Select the files, then click Attach, Add, or Open. Drag and drop also works in the web app.

The Mail Drop setting in the web app sits under the gear icon at the top of Mailboxes. Choose Composing, then turn on Use Mail Drop when sending large attachments. Apple's iCloud.com guide gives no numeric size limit and lists no keyboard shortcuts for attachments. If a send keeps failing in the Mac app, try the same file on iCloud.com to narrow down the cause.

## Common mistakes when attaching files in Apple Mail

- Attaching a folder without zipping it first. Apple says an uncompressed folder can't go through Mail Drop. Zip the folder, then attach the archive.
- Expecting ⇧⌘F to attach an email. ⇧⌘F forwards the selected email. Use Message > Forward as Attachment for an attachment.
- Ignoring the red size number in the header. It turns red when attachments exceed the provider's limit.
- Assuming Mail Drop is on everywhere. iCloud accounts use it automatically. Other accounts are asked, unless you turned the prompt off.
- Forgetting the 30-day expiry. Mail Drop attachments expire 30 days after sending, so a late download fails.
- Skipping the Windows-friendly option when the recipient uses Windows. Turn it on for those messages.

## Check before you send

Before you press ⇧⌘D, run a quick check. Confirm that every file you meant to attach appears in the message. Look at the size in the header. Read the recipient line one more time. If you sent too early, ⌘Z unsends the email. For the full sequence, see [how to undo send in Gmail on Mac, with Apple Mail steps](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/undo-send-in-gmail).

## If the email goes through a Gmail account

A Gmail account in Apple Mail still has Gmail's own limits. Personal Gmail accounts stop at 25 MB for attachments. Mail Drop is an option when Mail asks you about it. Setup steps for Gmail in Apple Mail are on [How to add Gmail to Apple Mail on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/use-gmail-in-apple-mail-in-gmail). Once the account works, attach files the same way you would in any other account.

## Where to go next

Start with the Attach button and ⇧⌘A. Those cover most messages. Turn on Mail Drop for the account you use most, so a large file doesn't stop you mid-send. If you want help while you work, the [Apple Mail assistant page](https://www.lazur.app/apps/apple-mail) shows how that works on screen.

## Shortcuts

- Attach files to your email: ⇧⌘A
- Send the email: ⇧⌘D
- Forward the selected email: ⇧⌘F
- Unsend the email you just sent: ⌘Z
- Append selected emails to your email: ⌥⌘I

## If it does not work

- **The message size in the header turns red.** Your attachments are over your provider's limit. Remove a file, shrink it, or send the large file with Mail Drop. Check the size again before you send.
- **Mail never offers Mail Drop for a large file.** iCloud accounts use Mail Drop automatically while you're signed in. For other accounts, go to Mail > Settings > Accounts, select the account, click Account Information, and check Send large attachments with Mail Drop.
- **Mail Drop refuses a folder.** Apple's limits page says an uncompressed folder can't go through Mail Drop. Compress the folder into a zip archive, then attach the archive.
- **The message is over 5 GB.** Mail Drop can't send a message with attachments over 5 GB. Split the files across two emails, or share the largest one through a file service you already use.
- **The recipient on Windows can't open the file.** Turn on Send Windows-Friendly Attachments. Use Edit > Attachments for every message, or click Attach, choose Attach Files, and select the option for one message. Click Show Options if you don't see it.
- **The recipient says the Mail Drop file is gone.** Mail Drop attachments expire 30 days after sending. Send the file again so Mail uploads a fresh copy.

## With Lazur

Lazur is a voice assistant for the Mac that lives in the notch. Hold ⌥ ⌘ and ask; it sees your screen, answers out loud, points at buttons and walks you through apps. Hold fn to dictate. Free for 3 days, then $18/month: https://www.lazur.app/download

- “Where's the Attach button?”: Lazur draws a circle and a label around the Attach button on your screen. (Points at it)

## FAQ

### Can I attach more than one file at once?

Yes. In the file picker that opens from Attach Files, hold Command and click each file you want, then click Choose File. You can also select several files in Finder and drag them into the message together. Each file arrives as a separate attachment, so the recipient can save them one at a time.

### How do I remove an attachment before I send?

Select the attachment in the message and press Delete. Then check the message size in the header again, because the total changes once a file is gone. If the file is still listed after that, click the message body and try the step again.

### What is the largest file I can send in Apple Mail?

Apple's Mail Drop limits page says each attachment can be up to 5 GB. A message with Mail Drop attachments can't be over 5 GB. Without Mail Drop, your email provider sets the limit, and Gmail's personal limit is 25 MB. Check your provider's own documentation for its number.

### How long can the recipient download a Mail Drop file?

Each Mail Drop attachment expires 30 days after sending. If the recipient waits longer, the file is gone. For an important file, tell the recipient when it expires, or send it again with a fresh upload.

### Is there a shortcut for attaching a photo?

Apple's keyboard shortcuts page lists ⇧⌘A for attaching files. For a photo, click the Attach button and choose Photos. Apple does not list a separate photo shortcut on that page.

### Can I attach files in the iCloud.com web app?

Yes. Click Attach in the top-right corner of the compose window, then pick iCloud Drive, iCloud Photos, or your device. Drag and drop also works. Apple's iCloud.com guide lists no keyboard shortcuts for attachments.

### Do I need Windows-friendly attachments for every message?

No. You can set Always Send Windows-Friendly Attachments under Edit > Attachments for every message. You can also choose the option for one message through Attach Files. Pick the method that matches how often you send to Windows users.

## Sources

1. [Send attachments in Mail on Mac: Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/guide/mail/add-attachments-to-emails-mlhlp1050/mac), Apple, checked 2026-11-07
2. [Keyboard shortcuts in Mail on Mac: Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/guide/mail/keyboard-shortcuts-mlhlb94f262b/mac), Apple, checked 2026-11-07
3. [Mail Drop limits: Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/en-us/108329), Apple, checked 2026-11-07
4. [Send attachments in Mail on Mac: Apple Mail User Guide 15.0](https://support.apple.com/en-asia/guide/mail/mlhlp1050/15.0/mac), Apple, checked 2026-11-07
5. [Add an email attachment in Mail on iCloud.com: Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/guide/icloud/add-an-attachment-mm6b1a7a10/icloud), Apple, checked 2026-11-07
6. [Send attachments with your Gmail message: Gmail Help](https://support.google.com/mail/answer/6584?hl=en), Google, checked 2026-11-07