How to attach an email to another email in Outlook (desktop and web)
Attach an existing email to a new one in Outlook, so the recipient gets the original message with its sender, date and content intact. Three quick methods for the Outlook app and Outlook on the web.
By Nur Islam- 1:48 video
- 4 steps
- 13.3K views
Jump to a step (4)
Forwarding several emails one by one, or pasting them into a message, loses the original sender and date and clutters the thread. When you need to pass along the real email as evidence or context, you want it attached as a file.
Outlook lets you attach a whole email as an attachment. In the Outlook app you can use the Outlook Item option or drag and drop. In Outlook on the web, drag and drop does the job.
The attached email can be opened by the recipient in Outlook, Gmail, Yahoo Mail or other popular email services.
What you need
- Outlook for Windows or Outlook on the web
- The email you want to attach, in any mail folder
Step by step
0 of 4 done-
01
Use Attach Item in the Outlook app
Create a new email. Click Attach File, hover over Attach Item and select Outlook Item. You can also find Outlook Item on the Insert tab.
Choose the folder, such as
Inbox,Sent Itemsor a custom folder. Select the email from the list below and click OK. The email is added as an attachment. -
02
Drag and drop in the Outlook app
Create a new email. Place the main Outlook window and the new email window side by side. Click and drag an email from your message list into the new email window. It attaches straight away.
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03
Drag and drop in Outlook on the web
In Outlook on the web, create a new email. Click and drag the email you want from the message list into the compose area. It appears as an attachment.
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04
Send and check
Send the email as usual. When the recipient clicks the attachment, the original email opens with its content. It works in any popular email service, not only Outlook.
Tips and common problems
- The Outlook Item option can also attach calendar events, contacts, notes and tasks, not just emails.
- Drag and drop in the desktop app is fastest when the two windows sit side by side on screen.
- Attaching keeps the original email whole, which is useful when you need to pass it on exactly as it was received.
Questions
How do I attach an email to another email in Outlook?
In the Outlook app, go to Insert > Outlook Item (or Attach File > Attach Item > Outlook Item), pick the folder and the email, and click OK. In Outlook on the web, drag the email into the new message.
Can Gmail users open an email attached in Outlook?
Yes. In the video, the attached email opens and can be read in Gmail, Yahoo Mail and Outlook.
Can I attach more than one email at a time?
Yes. You can select more than one email in the Outlook Item dialog, or drag several selected emails into the new message.
