How to attach a folder to an email in Gmail, Outlook and on your phone

An email attachment has to be a single file. A folder isn't a file, it's a container for other files, so there's nothing for your email app to attach. Microsoft says it plainly: "You can't attach a copy of a folder in web-based versions of Outlook." Gmail can't do it either.

Selecting every file inside the folder works for a handful of files, but your recipient gets a pile of loose attachments without the folder structure, and you'll quickly run into the size limit.

A ZIP file packs a folder, including its subfolders, into one file that you can attach like any other. Your recipient opens it and gets the folder back exactly as it was.

On Windows

Right-click the folder and choose Send to > Compressed (zipped) folder. On Windows 11, "Send to" is under Show more options. A ZIP file with the same name appears next to the folder.

On a Mac

Control-click or right-click the folder and choose Compress. A ZIP file with the same name appears next to it.

Before you hit send

• Check the size. Gmail, Yahoo Mail and Outlook.com accept 25 MB per email, iCloud Mail 20 MB, and attachments grow by about a third when they're sent. Our guide to email attachment size limits has every provider's limit.
• Don't expect photos to shrink. Photos, videos and PDFs are already compressed, so a 200 MB folder of holiday photos is still about 200 MB as a ZIP.
• Mac ZIPs on Windows. A ZIP made on a Mac can show an extra folder called __MACOSX when it's opened on Windows. It's safe to ignore or delete.

Instead of attaching the folder, upload it and paste a link into your email. You don't have to worry about attachment limits, the folder structure stays intact, and your recipient can download just the files they need.

With VeilShare (free, no account)

1. Drag the folder onto the upload box on our homepage. Subfolders come along too, up to 5,000 files at once.
2. Choose how long the link should work, 6, 24, 48 or 72 hours, and add a password if wanted.
3. Click on the upload button, then copy the link and paste it into your email.

Your recipient opens the link, browses the folder in their browser, and downloads single files or everything at once with Download all. Folders can be up to 3 GB for free. Every file, file name and folder name is encrypted in your browser before it's uploaded, so we can't see what's inside.

With Google Drive or OneDrive

If your files are already in Google Drive or OneDrive, you can share the folder from there. Just check the sharing settings: a Google Drive folder set to "Anyone with the link" opens for anyone the email gets forwarded to, and Microsoft notes that OneDrive folders shared from Outlook let recipients edit the files by default.

Gmail can't attach folders, so you have three options:

1. Attach a ZIP. Zip the folder as shown above, click the paperclip in the Gmail compose window and choose the ZIP file. Best for small folders of documents.
2. Share it from Google Drive. Upload the folder to Google Drive, right-click it, choose Share, set who can open it, and copy the link into your email.
3. Send a VeilShare link. Best for big or private folders, and you or the recipient doesn't need an account.

If you attach a ZIP bigger than 25 MB, Gmail uploads it to your Google Drive and adds a link instead, so it counts toward your Google storage.

Outlook can't attach folders either. Zip the folder and attach the ZIP with Attach file, or share the folder from OneDrive in Outlook on the web:

1. Upload the folder to OneDrive.
2. In Outlook on the web, start a new message and select Attach > Browse cloud locations.
3. Choose the folder, select Next, then choose Share as a OneDrive link.

Recipients can edit the files in the folder by default. To make it view-only, select More actions > Manage access > Recipients can view. This option is only in Outlook on the web, so in the Outlook desktop apps, share the folder from OneDrive and paste the link into your email instead.

iPhone and iPad

Open the Files app, find the folder, touch and hold it, and tap Compress. A ZIP file appears next to the folder. Touch and hold the ZIP, tap Share, then choose Mail. If the ZIP is too big for your email, Mail offers to send it with Mail Drop, which works for files up to 5 GB.

Android

In Files by Google, select the folder, tap More, then Compress, and give the ZIP a name. Google recommends a name without spaces or periods. Then share the ZIP to Gmail or your email app. Files by Google needs Android 8 or later.

Or skip the ZIP

On a phone, a link is often easier. Open VeilShare in your phone's browser, tap the upload box and select several files at once. They're sent as one link that you can paste into an email or a message.

The rule of thumb: zip it if it's a few documents under about 15 MB. Send a link for everything else, especially photos, videos and anything private.