To attach a folder in Gmail on a computer, start with Compose, click Attach, open the folder and pick the files inside it, then click Open. Google's instructions talk about choosing files, not folders, so you're selecting the contents. Go over the limit and the attachment becomes a Google Drive link.
So you aren't sending the folder as one object. You're opening it up and picking what's inside, and if those files are small enough to travel, the whole job takes five short steps.
The quick route for sending a folder's files
- Open Gmail on your computer and click Compose.
- Go to the bottom of the compose window and click Attach.
- Go into the folder that holds your files.
- Choose the files you want to upload.
- Click Open to add them to your email.
Google's help page on attachments is written around files from start to finish, which is why step three matters. Open the folder first, then make your selection from what's in there.
Before you click Compose, have a look through what you're about to send. A folder that's been filling up for a while tends to hold more than you remember, and three things can trip you up: how much it all comes to in total, whether anything in it is an executable file, and how much room you've got left in your Google storage. Each of those gets its own explanation below.
One quick check on what you're after. If the folder you've got in mind is one you sort your emails into, and not one on your computer, then you want our walkthrough on creating a folder in Gmail. And if the thing you're trying to pass along is a message rather than a document, here's how attaching an email to another email works.
Where each part of the job lives on a computer
| Part of the job | Where you find it | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Starting out | Compose, once you've opened Gmail | Opens the window you'll write in |
| Adding files | Attach, at the bottom of the compose window | Lets you choose the files to upload |
| Picking what goes | Inside your folder | Sets exactly which files are included |
| Confirming your choice | Open | Adds the chosen files to the email |
| Size limit | The total you've attached | 25 MB on personal accounts, and anything over it turns into a Google Drive link |
| Room for attachments | Your Google storage | Once it's full, attachments stop going in or out |
Those labels are for a computer. On a phone or tablet, check Google's help page for your device before you go looking for the same buttons.
Why a folder of files reaches the 25 MB limit so quickly
Personal accounts get 25 MB for attachments, and the figure that counts is the total across everything you've added. Sending one document, you'd rarely think about it. Sending a whole folder, a handful of files that look small on their own can tip you over once they're in the same email.
When that happens, you won't get stopped in your tracks. Gmail automatically removes the attachment and puts a Google Drive link in the email instead. It's easy to miss, and it changes what your recipient gets, so look at the draft before you send it and make sure a link is what you want them to receive.
If you'd rather keep them as attachments, add up the file sizes before you start. Under 25 MB and you're fine. Over it, leave out whatever isn't needed, or send the files across two or more separate emails, each one under the limit.
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Bear in mind that 25 MB is the limit for personal accounts. If your address is run by an employer or a school, check Google's help page for what applies to you.
What to check when the files won't go
- A program is hiding in the folder. Executable files aren't allowed, and files ending in .exe are the example Google gives. Read down the file names before you make your selection.
- Your storage is full. At your Google storage limit, you can't send or receive attachments at all. The receiving part is worth noticing, because a full account could also explain why a colleague's file never reached you.
- You stopped at the folder. If nothing has appeared in your email, go back to the Attach step and make sure you went inside the folder and chose the files themselves.
- A link turned up where you expected a file. That isn't a fault. It's the size limit doing its job, so go back to adding up what you selected.
Frequently asked questions
Can I add several files to one email at once?
You can choose several files in one go, so you don't need a separate trip to Attach for each one.
Will the person I'm emailing see a folder?
No, because what you've added is the individual files you picked. Rename them clearly before you start if the folder's name was doing the explaining.
Do I have to send everything in the folder?
No. You decide which files go, so anything the recipient doesn't need can stay behind, which also helps keep your total down.
Do attachments use up my storage?
Yes, every one eats into what Google gives you. Running low? Free up some room before sending a big batch.
What should I do about a program file in the folder?
Leave it out and send everything else, then let the recipient know that one's missing. Gmail won't accept it as an attachment.
