How to Send an Email as an Attachment | Keep Full Headers

You’ve probably hit this moment: forwarding an email turns into a messy paste job. The formatting shifts, inline images break, or the quoted chain gets chopped. If you’re sharing something for billing, HR, legal, IT, or a dispute, that mess can cost time.

Sending an email as an attachment avoids that. Instead of re-wrapping the message inside your new email, you attach the original message file. The recipient opens it like a standalone email, complete with the routing details and metadata that regular forwarding often hides.

What “Email As An Attachment” Means In Plain Terms

Think of it as sending the message itself as a file. The file is usually .eml (common across many mail apps) or .msg (common in Outlook on Windows). When someone double-clicks the attachment, it opens as an email inside their mail app.

This approach keeps the email’s structure intact: subject line, sender, recipients, timestamps, and the original included files. It’s a clean way to pass along the full record, not a re-created copy.

When Attaching The Original Email Beats Forwarding

Attaching the message shines when the details matter. Here are common cases where it saves headaches:

• Proof and audit trails: headers and timestamps stay visible for verification.
• Long threads: you can attach a single message or multiple messages without turning your draft into a scrolling novel.
• Preserving formatting: signatures, inline images, and spacing stay closer to the original.
• Handing off to IT or a vendor: they can inspect the message data, not just your forwarded copy.

File Types You’ll See: EML Vs MSG

.EML is a widely used email file format. Many clients can open it, including Outlook, Apple Mail, and Thunderbird. .MSG is Outlook’s message format, most common on Windows, and it can carry Outlook-specific details.

If you’re sending to a mixed crowd, .eml is often the safer bet. If everyone is on Outlook for Windows, .msg tends to open with fewer quirks.

Quick Prep Before You Hit Send

A few quick checks keep things smooth:

• Scan for sensitive data: attachments can include earlier content the recipient does not need.
• Keep the subject clear: add a short note like “Attached: original invoice email” in your message body.
• Watch file size: email systems often block large attachments. If the original email includes heavy files, you may need another delivery method.
• Send one message per file when clarity matters: it’s easier to reference and search later.

Sending An Email As An Attachment In Outlook And Gmail

Most people do this in Outlook or Gmail. Both can attach messages, yet the clicks differ by platform. The steps below cover the paths that work in day-to-day use.

How to Send an Email as an Attachment

If your mail app offers “Forward as attachment,” use it. That option builds a new draft and adds the original message as a message file attachment. If you don’t see that option, you can usually drag a message into a draft to attach it as a file.

Outlook On Windows Desktop

Outlook for Windows includes a built-in command for this. Start by selecting the email you want to attach in your message list. Then use the Outlook ribbon option for forwarding as an attachment. Outlook creates a new message with the original email attached as a file.

If you want to attach more than one email, select multiple messages in the list first, then run the same action. You’ll see each message added as its own attached file, which makes it easy for the recipient to open them one by one.

Microsoft documents the “Forward as Attachment” steps in its Outlook instructions here: Microsoft’s Outlook “Forward as Attachment” steps.

Outlook On The Web And New Outlook

Web and “new Outlook” layouts can look different, yet the idea stays the same: attach the message as a file, not as quoted text. If you see a “Forward as attachment” choice in the reply/forward menu, use it. If that option is missing, a simple fallback is to save the message as a file (where available) and attach that file to a new email.

When you attach a saved email file, send a short note above it so the recipient knows what they’re opening and why it’s attached.

Gmail On The Web

Gmail can send emails as attachments in a couple of practical ways. One easy method is drag-and-drop: start a new email draft, then drag the email from your inbox list into the draft. Gmail attaches it as an .eml file.

Gmail also offers a “Forward as attachment” action in many web accounts. You can right-click an email in the message list and choose the option that forwards as an attachment. Gmail creates a draft with the message attached as a file, not pasted into the body.

Google lays out these approaches in its Gmail instructions here: Gmail steps to download and send emails as attachments.

Gmail On Android And iPhone

Mobile Gmail is more limited than the desktop web version. If you don’t see a direct “forward as attachment” option, use a simple workaround: open the message on a computer and attach it from there, or download the email as an .eml file and attach that file from your phone if your setup allows file attachments.

For work accounts, your admin settings can change what you see in the app. If your phone can’t produce an .eml attachment cleanly, switching to Gmail on the web usually fixes it.

Compatibility Notes Recipients Should Know

Most modern email clients can open .eml files. Some recipients may see the attached email open in a browser download view first, then they’ll need to open it in a mail app. That’s normal. If they use Outlook on Windows, .msg often opens smoothly. If they use a different client, .eml tends to be the safer pick.

If your recipient reports they can’t open the attachment, ask what device and mail app they’re using. That detail usually points to a quick fix, like switching file type or downloading the file before opening it.

Common Workflows By Platform

The table below shows what you can expect across popular email setups. Use it to pick the fastest route without trial and error.

How To Make The Attached Email Easy To Use

Attaching the email is only half the job. The recipient still needs to spot what matters fast. A short message body goes a long way:

• One line on what the attached email is
• One line on what you want the recipient to do
• A short callout if there are multiple attached emails

Try something like: “Attached is the original order confirmation email. Please confirm the shipping address shown in the message.” Clear, direct, easy to act on.

Privacy And Security Notes Worth Knowing

Email attachments can include more than the visible message body. Headers can show routing info. Attached emails can carry earlier thread content. If you’re sending outside your company, double-check the message history first.

If you received the email with files included, attaching the email often keeps those original files tied to the message. That’s useful, yet it can surprise people who assume they’re only sharing text. Give the attached email a quick look and confirm it matches what you intend to share.

Troubleshooting When It Doesn’t Open Cleanly

Most issues fall into a small set: file type, device limitations, or mail client settings. Use the table below to diagnose fast without a long back-and-forth.

A Simple Checklist Before You Send

Run through this quick list and you’ll avoid most surprises:

• Pick .eml when recipients use mixed mail apps
• Pick .msg when everyone is on Outlook for Windows
• Add a one- or two-sentence note telling the recipient what the attachment is
• Confirm the attached email includes only what you want to share
• If the email is big, remove extra files or use a different delivery method

Once you get used to it, sending emails as attachments becomes the cleanest way to share a full message record. It saves time, avoids formatting chaos, and keeps the details that matter.

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