Add a Folder As an Attachment

Most email clients don't allow you to attach a normal folder, but there's an easy workaround. Compressing the folder will turn it into single file, as well as shrink it to avoid maximum attachment size limits. Check out the instructions below for your operating system.

Steps

Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, or XP

  1. Locate the folder you'd like to attach. If there are multiple folders you wish to send, move them all to the same location. Hold down Shift and click on each one to select them all at once.
    • Alternatively, just create a new folder, place all the files to attach inside it, and compress that folder.
  2. Compress the folder. Right-click the folder. Select Send To → Compressed File from the drop-down menu.[1][2][3] This shrinks the files down to a more manageable size, and combines them into one compressed folder, called an "archive."
    • Windows 8 and 10 have a second option as well, aimed at touchscreen users. Select the file, tap the Share tab in the top menu, then tap Zip in the top menu.
    • Some versions of Windows XP may not have this option. If you don't see it, right-click a blank area in any folder and select New → Compressed (zipped) Folder. Type in a name and press ↵ Enter, then drag your files into this compressed folder.[4]
  3. Attach the compressed folder to your email. Open your email program or visit your broswer-based email service. Click Attach (or the paper clip icon) and select the compressed folder as though it were a normal file. Wait for it to upload, then send the email as usual.
    • In Windows 10, you can right-click the file and select Send to → Mail Recipient instead.
    • The recipient of the email first clicks the attachment to download the compressed folder. To edit the files (and sometimes just to view them), he must extract (uncompress) the file. This is usually as simple as double-clicking them, or right-clicking them and selecting "extract" or "uncompress."
  4. Troubleshoot email errors. Almost all email services have a limit to the size of file you can send. If you get an error message and the email fails to send, you have several options:
    • Send-Large-Files-to-Another-Computer-Using-the-Internet.
    • Separate the contents of the folder and attach them (compressed) to separate emails.
    • Download WinRAR and Email-Large-Files. Attach each chunk separately, to multiple emails if necessary.

Mac OS X

  1. Compress the folder you plan to attach. Select the folder and click File → Compress from the top menu.
    • Alternatively, select the folder with control-click, right-click, or a two-finger touchpad click. This opens a drop-down menu that includes Compress.
  2. Attach the compressed folder to your email. Use the attach function as you would for any file, then select the compressed folder.
    • Some users report a bug in the Mail app that selects the folder that contains the one you select. If this happens, switch the folder to "list view" and try again.[5]
  3. Troubleshoot. If the compressed folder is still too large for your email client, you can try one of these workarounds:
    • If you're using iCloud Mail, click the gear icon in the sidebar, then Preferences. Under Composing, select "Use Mail Drop when sending large attachments." Now you can attach files up to 5 GB, although the download link will only remain for 30 days.[6]
    • Separate the contents of the folder and send the files in several emails.
    • Send-Large-Files-to-Another-Computer-Using-the-Internet.

Other Operating Systems

  1. Download software for out of date operating systems. If you are running Windows 2000 or earlier, you'll need to download compression software such as WinZip to compress your folder. Similarly, users of Mac OS 9 may need to download StuffIt Expander.
  2. Find specific instructions for your Linux distribution. Most Linux distributions include a built-in ability to compress files. For example, in Ubuntu, right click on the folder and choose "Compress..." from the context menu. You will be asked to choose a name and location for the resulting archive. Attach that archive to your email.



Tips

  • Note that there are multiple compressed file extensions. The most common ones are .zip, .rar, and .tar.gz. "Zip" files are by far the most common. Different software may be required to handle different extensions.
  • Compression works by eliminating redundant data, replacing it with shorter instructions to restore it later. Many common file types such as JPEG or MP3 have already been compressed, and won't get much smaller (if at all) with a second compression.
  • If you use a modern version of Microsoft Outlook, you can select a normal folder through the Attach option. When prompted, click Compress to prepare it for sending.[7]

Warnings

  • If you add encrypted files to a compressed folder, they may be unencrypted when extracted. If you need to protect sensitive information, do not compress encrypted files.

Things You'll Need

  • Computer
  • Compression software

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/compress-uncompress-files-zip-files
  2. ↑ http://www.tomsitpro.com/articles/windows-8.1-the-missing-manual-book-excerpt,2-723-2.html
  3. ↑ http://www.laptopmag.com/articles/how-to-zip-files-windows-10
  4. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/306531
  5. ↑ https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4044105
  6. ↑ https://support.apple.com/kb/PH2629?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US
  7. ↑ https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Attach-a-file-or-a-folder-to-a-message-85a48a84-cb5a-46a8-b33b-79c0b0995aee
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