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How to Preview Gmail Attachments Without Leaving the Message
Save yourself a step when reviewing attached content
By Heinz Tschabitscher Heinz Tschabitscher Writer University of Vienna A former freelance contributor who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on November 24, 2021 Reviewed by Jon Fisher Reviewed by Jon Fisher Wichita Technical Institute Jonathan Fisher is a CompTIA certified technologist with more than 6 years' experience writing for publications like TechNorms and Help Desk Geek. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Email Gmail Yahoo! Mail What to Know
To preview, open the message with an attachment. Hover the mouse over the attachment thumbnail and then select the file name.A large attachment may not preview in Gmail. You have to download it to view it. This article explains how to preview Gmail attachments without leaving a message. Instructions apply to most current web browsers. How to Preview Gmail Attachments
You can preview most file attachments, including images, audio files, PDFs, and video clips without taking up space on your computer. This function is handy when there are attachments that you don't need to save. For example, if someone sends you a Word document that they want you to read, you can preview it right there, then reply to the email without downloading the file. Email attachments are also easily integrated into Google Drive. If you don't want the attachment taking up space on your hard drive, save it to your Google account. This function allows you to delete the email but revisit the attachment whenever and from wherever you want. Some file types cannot be previewed in Gmail, including ISO and RAR files. Open the message that contains the attachment you want to preview. Using the mouse pointer, hover over the attachment thumbnail, then select the attachment file name. Don't select any of the icons. If you do, you'll perform actions other than previewing the attachment. You can now view, read, watch, or listen to the attachment without downloading it. Large attachments may not preview in Gmail. If you can't preview an image, document, or video because of size, you'll need to download it. Several options appear on the upper part of the screen. You can open the document in Google Docs or another application, save it to Google Drive, print it, download the file, show the file details, or open it in a new window. Select the appropriate icon to perform one of these actions. If you have certain apps attached to your Google account, you can perform other functions. For example, some apps enable you to split PDF files. You can preview a PDF attachment and select the app to extract pages out of it. To return to the message, select the arrow in the upper-left corner of the preview screen. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Email a Google Doc How to Open Zip Files on iPad or iPhone How to Send Voice Messages on WhatsApp 10 Best PDF Splitter Tools & Methods How to Check Your Google Storage Quota How to Share and Collaborate With Google Drive How to Save Attachments to Google Drive From Gmail How to Open Google Docs How to Save All Attachments From Multiple Emails Fast in OS X Mail How to Take a Photo on a Chromebook How to Fix It When Attachments Aren't Showing in Outlook How to Move Google Docs From One Drive to Another How to Send a File Attachment With Outlook.com Message and Attachment Size Limits in Gmail Outlook.com vs. Gmail: Which Email Service is Best? How to Scan Documents With Your Android or iOS Phone Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies