Emailing photo attachments from my iPhone 11

Lotus9999 wrote:

There's a similar thread also, which has double the number of pages of this one:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251807601

There only seems to be 2 solutions to it:

ONE: I've done some testing now Sending pictures using Outlook app, and here are my findings:

1 - If you start in the Outlook app and attach pictures, they will still show up EMBEDDED. …

Actually, just as with Apple Mail, I expect that they are just as much attachments! (I wouldn’t be inclined to think otherwise, unless such was demonstrated to be otherwise upon inspecting the Raw email text.)

However, this does seem to demonstrate that Outlook, as well, is able to format emails as rich-text (text/html, actually). (When I worked within the corporate/governmental sectors, I would only send emails as plain-text if the other party had requested such, or I was replying to a plain-text email.)

I suspect, however, that if you sent this email to an email address where you use Outlook to read the email, that Outlook would allow you to perform bulk attachment operations (such as bulk-saves).

If not, I would actually be surprised! However, in that case y’all could use that as the best leverage to have Microsoft (at least partially) fix Outlook, and its derivatives.

… 2 - However, if you start in Photos (as others I believe have indicated), then choose the method to share as the Outlook app, they DO in fact show up as attachments! And there's no need to attach a 1 second video...

Yes. This should surprise no one.

Of course, as always, the real test is not in the appearances, but in the functionality: does Outlook (or another email client) allow you to perform bulk attachment operations (such as bulk-saves)?

… The only downside is that unlike when sending pictures by Mail, where you get the option to choose the size of the photo (S/M/L/Original), there are no options and they are sent as full-size by default.

Meh …

… Based on this solution, perhaps any other third-party app on the iPhone can be used with similar results, and not just the Outlook app. …

Make sure y’all don’t get caught up in the appearance, but pay attention to the functionality: does Outlook (or another email client) allow you to perform bulk attachment operations (such as bulk-saves), regardless of appearance?

… TWO: The other one allows you to still use the default Mail app, and by attaching a different file (such as a 1 second video), it forces it to send all of the pictures as attachments also.

As always, «the pictures» are sent «as attachments», always.

The only potential differences are:

1. In the appearance of the email, and
2. Whether Outlook (or one of its derivatives) will allow you to perform bulk attachment operations (such as bulk-saves), regardless of appearance.

I was having the same problem when trying to send a photo I took with my new iPhone 12 Pro Max. I'm not in the least bit savvy about these things and the person I was sending it to came across this. Here's what we did to make it work.

1. Settings
2. Open Camera (found in the 6th block down the lists)
3. Formats
4. Choose "Most Compatible"

I think this changes the file from HEIC to JPG and somehow that solved the problem.

Hope this works for others having this problem.

There is no change in iOS 14 how an image is attached to an email. Since Mail app has been added to iOS, images have always been embedded/inline in the emails. Don’t believe me, search for all older posts about this behaviour, e.g.:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/250182741

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251338339

How images appear (embedded or as attachments) it’s controlled by the receiving email client; some have an option to force embedded images appear as end of email attachments.

If email client app you use show the images as embedded and not as an attachment, right-click on it to get option to save the file or drag and drop to the Desktop or other folder. Check app settings that apply for email attachments.

iOS Mail app always (and it has in the past too) put images as embedded. Workaround would be to ZIP the file prior to adding it to the message. There is a handy shortcut for it in Shortcuts app gallery called ‘ZIP and Email’: https://www.icloud.com/shortcuts/1f8e3e6c38c446f68f249520b1303bb7

I tried all of the suggestions above but I couldn't ever get a photo to send as an attachment with iOS 14.1 Mail on my iPhone as they always came through as embedded. But, using the Microsoft Outlook app (you will need to install it if you don't have it), I was able to send photos as attachments. First select the photos in the Photos app then the share up arrow. Then select Outlook and a New Message window will open showing the photos as attachments with the actual file name as stored on the iPhone. Then just add the address and subject and send. The received email will have the photos as attachments and not embedded. This worked every time for me. I just wish Apple would fix their Mail app that they broke in iOS 14.

A guy at my work found a work-around since this is so critical to our business.

With Apple’s recent update to their iOS software to version 14, they have removed the ability to attach image/pictures files as attachments. Instead, they have forced the images and pictures to be embedded into the body of the email. Regardless of which app you are initiating the attachment process from, all images/pictures will be embedded.

But there is a workaround. As long as you also attach a non-image/picture file along with the pictures on the email, then all the files will be attached and not embedded. The additional file can be any other type (PDF, video, etc.).

I suggest using a PDF that says "Thanks Apple for messing this up!"

Good luck!

Yeah! I actually came back because I learned something else, it is not enough to turn on compatible. This actually may or may not be the solution, but I also had it to where it would embed into the email just now.

The way I could replicate it sending as an attachment is actually HOW I was sending the email, not the compatibility mode. In order to get it to send as an attachment:

1. Open your Mail app and compose an email as if you were sending a normal email
2. Tap anywhere in the body of the email to bring up predictive text
3. Tap on the arrow on the far right of predictive text
4. Click on the photo icon (not the camera) and choose the photo(s) you want to send
5. Send the email

This actually worked to where it sent as an attachment every time. I had compatibility on though, so I am unsure if it is a combination of these that created the solution.

I initially met the same problem everyone else complains of. I use Gmail by default on my iPhone 7 version 14.4. Either starting from Photos and selecting for Gmail or going straight to Gmail>compose and clicking on attachments either way I end up with the photo embedded inline in the text. But if I tap on the photo I get a 'Send as attachment' or 'Remove' pop-up option. Selecting 'Send as attachment' reduces the photo to an attachment sized mini photo at the bottom of the test page. Problem solved

deane160:

Have you read my comment to Scamp468, at https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251807601?answerId=254744057022#254744057022?

The add-an-additional-attachment workaround seems to work due to the attachments—and they are always attachments, regardless how they may appear or how a certain very tiny subset of email clients (all created by the same company: not Apple) may prevent you, the user, from performing bulk attachment operations (such as bulk-saves)—not all being of the same filetype: hence, using Content-Type: multipart/mixed, rather than Content-Type: multipart/related, for the attachments.

The workaround of sending the Apple Mail email through a non-Exchange server, to get to your email account that uses an email client from that very tiny subset of email clients, may or may not involve some such transformation: that is the workaround we know the least about why it “kicks” that very tiny subset of email clients into “doing the right thing”™️ with the attachments within your received emails.

Incidentally, do make sure your iPhone Camera is set to save its pictures in “Most Compatible” format (JPEG), rather than “High Efficiency” (a more recent and superior format, but one that many PC programs want to charge you extra, in order to handle such).

(The workaround of using MMS messaging compresses the pictures further, probably due to MMS limitations.)

By the way, have you ever tried to use a non-Microsoft created email client to access you emails that you usually use Outlook to receive?

Use the same email account, with the same email server that Outlook is accessing, but using a non-Microsoft created email client, like GMail, or Thunderbird, or some such.

Regardless how such received email may appear, see if the non-Microsoft created email client will have any problem performing bulk attachment operations (such as bulk-saves).

Please let us know your results.

There's a similar thread also, which has double the number of pages of this one:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251807601

There only seems to be 2 solutions to it:

ONE: I've done some testing now Sending pictures using Outlook app, and here are my findings:

1 - If you start in the Outlook app and attach pictures, they will still show up EMBEDDED.

2 - However, if you start in Photos (as others I believe have indicated), then choose the method to share as the Outlook app, they DO in fact show up as attachments! And there's no need to attach a 1 second video...

The only downside is that unlike when sending pictures by Mail, where you get the option to choose the size of the photo (S/M/L/Original), there are no options and they are sent as full-size by default.

Based on this solution, perhaps any other third-party app on the iPhone can be used with similar results, and not just the Outlook app.

TWO: The other one allows you to still use the default Mail app, and by attaching a different file (such as a 1 second video), it forces it to send all of the pictures as attachments also.

Pvjoy wrote:

I have been sending photos through Outlook and am able to upload several photos at a time. I am still not able to do it through my email as Jpegs.

Do make sure that your iPhone’s Camera is set to take Photos in “Most Compatible” (JPEG) format, rather than the “High Efficiency” format (a more recent and superior format, but not one that most PC software will support, without you having to pay more money).

I have this same issue after updating the phone to ios 14.1. I was able to send as an attachment, but only 1 way. When I started an email, then touched the body of the email, selected a picture, removed my signature, the email came to outlook embedded. When I selected the picture then selected the box with the up arrow, selected mail and my email address, and removed my signature, the picture came through as an attachment, not embedded.

It's ridiculous if this is what you have to do to get an attachment vs an embedded picture via email.

Hope this helps someone.

As I read the original question, the OP was looking for a way to email photos as an email attachment, as opposed to being embedded in the image. Whether you call them both attachments or not, the question was how to get the former version.

I was pointing out that when I use the Outlook email app, I can still send photos as email attachments, whereas with the Apple email app I no longer can.

I did not see anything about bulk attachment operations in the original question.

SOLUTION! I've found a fix for emailing photos from my phone (from messages or photos app) to my outlook email by using the Spark app, not the Apple Mail app to send them. Download Spark, connect whatever email accounts you want, then choose Spark instead of Apple Mail app when emailing photos from your phone. They send as attachments, not embedded.

Hope this helps!

A contributor advised that it was NOT an apple problem, rather an OUTLOOK/Microsoft problem. He sounded legit, but didn't offer a work around. Another contributor offered a work around solution. He said rather than emailing the image, TEXT the image to your email address and the image is then received as an attachment. I tried it and IT WORKED! So until a better solution comes along, that's what I am doing.

Thanks for trying to help, but it would have been really helpful if you had been more detailed in your response. I've looked in a few places and cannot find this "Photos" setting you speak of… My iPhone is on the latest iOS 14.4.

One question I have is whether you need to use the Gmail app to send the email, or can you use the default iOS Mail client and just send it from your Gmail account?

Here's what I did, but wasn't able to find this setting:

1 - I went into Settings, then scrolled down to Gmail's, and there's no such thing.

2 - I opened up the Gmail app, clicked the 3 horizontal bars in the top left corner, and went to Settings. Nothing.

3 - Finally, just to rule this option out, I even checked out the settings in Gmail on my desktop browser.

So I'm curious what you did exactly?

55irate wrote:

Photos to email problem.

I got it working.

Settings

Gmail

Photos

All photos. ( changed from Select photos)

turn off phone to make the change stick.

turn on phone. !!!Viola !!! It works.