Gmail simplifies and integrates sending emails as attachments

Abner Li | Dec 9 2019 - 12:43 pm PT

Instead of having to forward individual emails or downloading them one-by-one, Gmail is improving its ability to send emails as attachments. Already possible today, the process is now simplified and more integrated.

Messages today can already be downloaded and then manually uploaded as attachments. Google is simplifying the process by automating the download/upload steps with a built-in Gmail UI that supports bulk transfers.

The company notes that integrated Gmail email attachments are in response to customer feedback that occasionally “attaching emails makes more sense than forwarding separate emails, like wanting to forward multiple messages related to a single topic.”

With this new functionality, you can do exactly that. Sending emails as attachments allows you to write a summary email message to your recipients, and attach the set of supporting emails that recipients can directly open in their mail client.

This Gmail on the web feature supports drag-and-drop into the draft window — like any other file — with multiple selections allowed. Additionally, there’s a new option in the main overflow menu to “Forward as attachment.”

Behind-the-scenes, attached emails are still .eml files and open in a new window when clicked by recipients. There is no limit to how many can be attached. It begins “gradually” rolling out today and might not be completely available until next year. Gmail email attachments are available for all G Suite editions.