How to Send a Picture in Gmail

Add inline images to enhance your message

By

Heinz Tschabitscher

Updated on May 17, 2021

Reviewed by

Jon Fisher

Email

What to Know

Gmail on the web: Compose a message, and then drag and drop the picture from your computer to the desired position in the email.
Or, position the cursor where you want the image to appear, select Insert Photo > Inline, then choose your photo and select Insert.
Gmail app: Tap the paperclip, select Attach file, then choose the photos you want to send. Pictures are sent inline by default.

This article explains how to add an inline image to a Gmail message so that the image appears in the body of the email. Instructions cover Gmail on the web and the Gmail mobile app for iOS and Android.

How to Send a Picture in Gmail

To add an image or photo inline to an email you are composing in Gmail on the web with a desktop browser:

Select the Expand window icon (the double-sided arrow) in the upper-right corner of the composition window to make it larger.
Drag and drop the picture from its folder on your computer to the desired position in the message.

You also can paste the image at the desired location in the email from the clipboard using Control+V (for Windows and Linux) or Command+V (for Mac).

How to Send a Picture From the Web or Google Photos in Gmail

Alternatively, you can use an image you found on the web or upload one from your computer:

Position the text cursor where you want the image to appear.
Select the Insert Photo icon in the formatting toolbar.
Select Inline next to Insert images to have the pictures appear inside the email.

Choose As attachment to send the photo as an attachment.
To upload an image from your computer, select Upload > Choose photos to upload and open the desired graphic.

Images you upload from your computer remain available in the Insert image dialog box while you compose the message (but not for other emails).
To insert a picture from Google Photos, go to the Photos tab and select the image you want to include.

In the Albums tab, photos are organized the same way as in your Google Photos albums.
To use an image found on the web, go to the Web Address (URL) tab and enter the image's URL next to Paste an image URL here.

Images from the web appear inline with the message. These images are never sent as attachments. Any recipient who has remote images blocked won't see the image.
Select Insert.

How to Send a Picture Using the Gmail App

To send a photo on Gmail using the iOS or Android app:

While composing a message or reply, tap the attachment paperclip icon (📎) and select Attach file from the menu that appears.

In iOS, Gmail needs access to Photos. To enable Photos, open the Settings app and tap Gmail > Allow Gmail to Access.
Select the photos you want to send. By default, the picture is sent inline.

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