Jump to a step (4)
When you send a flyer, invoice or one-page document, many recipients never open the attachment. Outlook does not support embedding a real PDF in the email body, so people look for a way to make the content visible right away.
Outlook cannot embed a working PDF in the message, but the Object command gets close. It inserts the first page of the PDF into the body, and when the email is sent, Outlook converts it to an image that the recipient sees straight away.
Only the first page shows, so this works best for one-page PDFs. For longer documents, embed the first page as a preview and attach the full PDF.
What you need
- Outlook desktop app with the Insert > Object command
- The PDF you want to show (the first page is what appears)
Step by step
0 of 4 done-
01
Open a new email and insert an object
In a new email in Outlook, go to the Insert tab and select Object.
-
02
Choose your PDF
In the Object window, select the Create from File tab, select Browse, choose your PDF and select Insert. Then select OK. The first page of the PDF appears in the email body.
-
03
Resize and align it
Drag the corner handles to make the preview bigger or smaller, and align it (for example, center it) like any other object. Add your message text around it.
-
04
Attach the full PDF and send
Attach the PDF file as well, so recipients can download all pages. Add the subject and recipient and send.
The recipient sees the first page in the body. Outlook converts it to an image (a .png file), which is why attaching the full PDF matters.
Tips and common problems
- Only the first page of the PDF is shown. Use this for one-page PDFs, or attach the full file for longer documents.
- The embedded page arrives as an image, so recipients cannot select text or click links in it.
- The same Insert > Object steps work for Word, Excel and other file types.
- If there is no Object button on the Insert tab, you are probably in New Outlook or Outlook on the web. Use the classic Outlook desktop app for this method.
Related videos
Questions
Can you embed a PDF in an Outlook email?
Not as a working PDF. Using Insert > Object > Create from File, Outlook places the first page in the body and sends it as an image. Attach the PDF if recipients need all pages.
Why does only the first page of my PDF show?
The Object method only renders the first page. Outlook then converts it to an image when the email is sent.
Can I embed a Word or Excel file the same way?
Yes. The steps are the same: Insert > Object > Create from File, then choose the file.
