Securely open and download email attachments from Gmail.
Attachments
Many emails contain attachments. These are separate files that are attached to a message and are therefore not contained in the text itself. A photo pasted into a written text is not an attachment. But a photo that comes separately with the email and that has to be opened separately is an attachment. If a message contains an attachment, most mail programs have a paperclip icon next to them.
Be careful if you receive e-mails from people you do not know, with an attachment. Criminals send emails with texts inviting you to open the attachment. For example, because it would contain an invoice or personal documents. Don’t open it unless you’re sure it’s the correct sender, it’s not phishing, and the attachment is really meant for you. You will not be the first to get a virus on the PC by opening an untrustworthy attachment.
Open attachment (PC)
To open an attachment in Gmail:
- Open the website www.gmail.com and log in.
- Emails with attachments have a paperclip icon to the right of the subject line.
- Click on the email to open it.
- An example (preview) of the file is below. Click here.
- Click on the down arrow at the top to download the attachment.
- Double-click the name of the file in the lower left to open it, or open the document in the “Downloads” folder.
- In Gmail, click the arrow at the top left to go back to all emails.