Opening email attachments

Not too long ago I wrote about how to attach photos and documents to emails and messages (Click here: Attach photos and files to emails).

But how do you deal with the ‘other end’? How do you open attachments that have been sent to you?

First of all, a word of warning: attachments, regardless of file type, can contain ‘nasties’ and should only be opened if you trust the sender—and are sure they really are from that person or organisation, and not from someone impersonating them.

If you are sure, you generally only have to click on the ‘bubble’ or box at the bottom of the email showing the attachment name and its extension (the three letters after the name, as in filename.EXT). The extension shows what kind of file it is: .pdf for a document, .jpeg for an image, and more. Sometimes the box shows additional icons when you hover over it, like a download arrow, an ‘add to Drive’ icon, or more. If you just want to look at the attachment, don’t worry about those—just click on the box itself and the attachment should open, ready for you to read or look at. Depending on the type of file and the apps on your device, it will also allow you to print the item.

Sometimes your device has no program or app to open the attached file type, and you will receive an error. You can either install an app to deal with this file type—if you are confident enough—or you could reply to the sender asking for a copy in a different format. For example, if they are sending you a .doc, .docx, or .odt document and you are on your phone, you might want to ask for a PDF instead, which is a universal format that can be opened by most devices without extra apps.

Speaking about replying to emails, please make sure you choose the ‘Reply’ button (usually a single arrow) and not the ‘Reply All’ button (a double arrow), unless you want everyone who also received the original email to get your reply as well.