You can easily attach images to your email messages on your iPhone or iPad by using either the Mail app or the Photos app. These images will appear as inline images in the email body, but they can still be downloaded by your recipient as traditional attachments. If you have iOS 9 or later, you’ll also have the option to attach image files from your iCloud Drive or other cloud storage services.
Before you start: Ensure you have iOS 9 or later on your device.
How to attach photos to your emails on iPhone
Follow these steps to attach photos to your email using both the Mail app and the Photos app.
Using the Mail app
- First, compose a new message in the Mail app. This allows you to insert images into your message.
- Place your cursor where you would like the images to appear in the message body. If you want them to appear as traditional attachments, place them at the end of the message.
- Tap the cursor to open the menu, which shows “Select,” “Select All,” and “Paste” options.
- Tap the arrow on the right side of the menu to reveal additional options (not needed on iPad).
- Tap “Insert Photo or Video” to view your list of photo and video albums.
- Find the photo or video that you want to attach by browsing through your Camera Roll.
- Insert the photo or video by tapping it and then selecting “Choose.” The image or video will be added to your message.
- You can insert up to five images or a short video clip into a single email message.
- Send the message as you normally would, deciding whether to compress the images or send them in original quality, which may affect data usage.
Using the Photos app
- Open the Photos app to send an email with attached photos via the Share feature.
- Navigate to the album containing the photos you wish to attach; you can select up to five images.
- Tap “Select” to enable multiple selection mode, allowing you to select more than one image.
- Tap each image you want to attach, ensuring a checkmark appears next to each selected image.
- Tap the “Share” button, which looks like a box with an arrow coming out of the top, to open the Share menu.
- Select “Mail” to start a new message in the Mail app with the images attached. If Mail isn’t an option, you may have selected too many images.
- Compose and send the message by entering the recipient(s), creating a subject, and typing out the body. You can choose to compress or send images in original size based on your data usage concerns.
Using iCloud Drive or other cloud storage
- Open the Mail app and start composing a new message to attach images from iCloud or other services.
- Place your cursor where you want the attachment to appear in the email body.
- Tap the cursor to open the Editing menu to see options above the cursor.
- Tap the right arrow in the menu to display additional options (not needed on iPad).
- Tap “Add Attachments” and a new window will display the contents of your iCloud Drive.
- Find the image file you want to attach by tapping on any image file stored in your iCloud Drive.
- Tap “Locations” to browse files on other major cloud storage services if they are installed on your device.
- Send the message as you normally would, and the recipient will receive the file as a regular attachment.
Pro tip: If you want to include the picture as a traditional attachment rather than an inline image, ensure you use the “Add Attachment” option rather than “Insert Photo.”
By following these methods, you’ll find it straightforward to enhance your emails with images, making your communications more engaging. Whether you are sending a quick note to a friend or preparing a more detailed email for work, attaching images is a valuable feature. This not only improves visual communication but also keeps your emails organized and professional.
