In Apple Mail, attachments display their contents. If you attach a PDF or JPEG image, you actually see the document or picture.
This has zero impact on compatibility of your attachments. It’s just a display choice.
Still… if you come from a PC background this can be a tad disconcerting.
PC Mail clients like Microsoft Entourage or Outlook, display attachments as small icons.
The good news… is that the Mac can do this too.
Changing An Email Attachment From View In Place To View As Icon
- Open Apple Mail.
- Create a New Message.
- Click in the body of the message.
- Click the Attachment icon in the Toolbar. It’s on the right-hand side and shaped like a paperclip.
- Navigate to the PDF or image you want to attach.
- Select your file and click Choose File.
- You can now see the PDF or image in the email. This what is known as “View In Place.”
- Right-click or Control-click on the file and a drop-down menu appears. Choose View As Icon.
- The attachments turn into icons.
If you’d like to change them back, just right-click or Control-click and select View in Place from the menu.
This works on an email by email basis.
If you’d like to change how attachments are displayed in all emails, things get a little more complex.
Only use this option if you’re comfortable using Terminal. Even if you are… be careful. Mistakes here can really mess-up your Mac.
How To Change All Email Attachments To View As Icon
- Open Terminal
- Run the following: defaults write com.apple.mail DisableInlineAttachmentViewing -bool yes
- Press Return.
- Quit Mail then Relaunch it.
To reverse the process, follow the same procedure, but run the command: defaults write com.apple.mail DisableInlineAttachmentViewing -bool no
No Problem Mac is not responsible for your data. Please remember to backup your data before running Terminal commands. Use at your own risk.
Have a fantastic, yet thrifty weekend.
Hi,
You say that embedding pdfs in the body of the email has no impact, it’s just a display choice.
That’s not quite true. I send invoices to a large newspaper for freelance work I do. The invoices go to an automated reader. Pdf invoices must be sent as attachments – not embedded – or the system can’t/won’t read them (I think it’s an executable file thing).
It’s been driving me mad trying to work out why sometimes my pdfs attached as icons and sometimes are embedded. (Plus I was sick of not getting paid …) No matter what attachment settings I had in Apple’s email program most pdfs became embedded.
Then I found this, which explains what was happening (pdfs comprising a page or less are embedded, more than a page are attached as an icon):
And then found the Terminal solution you suggest (http://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/121688/attaching-files-and-not-wanting-them-embedded-into-email-body) which fixed the problem.
Cheers,
Gordon
Thanks Gordon. I had no idea about the 1 page rule. Sorry it took so long to approve your comment, but it’s been a busy week. have a great weekend – John
Thank you! I’ve been searching for this solution for a while and voila you provide it!
Disabling the preview to an icon is all well and good for viewing, but can this be the case for printing? When I print the email the attachments don’t remain as icons, they print in place. Would love it if they remained as icons.
Hi Mandy – Sadly, it won’t even print as a saved PDF. The only option left is to take a screenshot and print that. Hardly a great option. If you figure anything else out, let me know. – John
Hi – I tried the command (to actually enable inline attachments) and the command says ‘not found’ – any ideas? I’m using yoesmite
Hi Olivia – Can you describe what you mean? The “command” is to right-click the attachment in the email and select “View as Attachment” or “View as Icon.” If you are not getting this, you may be clicking on a file that has no extension or doing this in a program other than Apple Mail. Let me know. – Thanks – John
Thanks, that worked. I cannot right-click, not having set my mouse to do so, but using Control and clicking on the attachment I was able to use the dropdown menu to change it into an icon.
Awesome. Glad you found it useful.
hi John .. when i right click , i get no drop down menu to enable the picture. Please help?
I get open attachment
open with
quick look
save attachments
save to downloads
copy image
Hi Carmen – You will only get the ‘View as icon, View in place’ option when you right click on a PDF in an email that you are sending out. The options you are describing are coming from a PDF that’s embedded in an email that you have received or maybe one that you are forwarding.
Hi John,
I have trouble with Mac email. When I email a scanned copy of the document (Whether I choose Windows Friendly or not, it is the same), it appears very small and unreadable on the receiver’s side. I tried it by emailing scanned copies to my own email address using MacBook, it happens as well. Please help. Thanks.
Amanda
Hi Amanda – The only way i can really get you an answer is if you email the pdf to me – john@noproblemmac.com
Why are my attachments always going to the bottom of my email (aol on a Mac) I used to be able to click on the text and insert the attachment there. I can’t even drag the attachment to a place where it is more visible than at the bottom of multiple email conversation
In the Apple Mail application, go to Edit in the toolbar choose Attachments and uncheck “Insert Attachments at End of Message.”
Dear John,
Thank you. You just made my day!
Hi John,
PDF’s sent to my Mac email app show up as “code” (a bunch of random letters and numbers) but I don’t have this problem when I go to the email website ex.) yahoo.com. Do you know of any fix?
Hi Adam – I would try a) make sure you are using the latest version of macOS, b) change your default PDF reader or c) check out this article from Adobe – Hope this helps. – John
I did as you suggested, changing each attachment to “view as icon,” which seemed to work fine.
However, when I sent the email, then looked at the sent email (I was just moving it to a client mailbox) I noticed that the attachments displayed “in place” after all! So I assume they were sent that way instead of as icons.
Hi Jay – You’d have to check with the recipient. I wouldn’t be surprised if they arrived fine. It’s the Mac’s default to “Show In Place”> That’s why yjhe Sent email looks as it does.
Hi John – I have the same issue as Jay. I have Control-click pdf file & changed to Icon, which it does however when I email it changes back to show in place. I have sent it to myself to check.
If you are comfortable using the Terminal you can try the following command to permanently display attachments as icons… defaults write com.apple.mail DisableInlineAttachmentViewing -boolean YES
If you later want to reverse that command use… defaults write com.apple.mail DisableInlineAttachmentViewing -boolean NO
Please note that this information was gleaned from several internet sources. I have not tested these commands. If you are not comfortable using Terminal, do not use it. Incorrect usage can damage your computer, macOS and/or software. John Carroll and No Problem Mac are in no way liable for your use of the Terminal with these or any other commands. Use at your own risk.
This is an old conversation so I’m not sure this matters anymore. But the “view as icon” only applies for you while you’re composing your message. You actually have no control how it appears for the recipient unless they have settings on their end that they’ve changed. As you discovered, multiple page attachments will always be an icon.
A client complained about receiving embedded photographs, but the real issue wasn’t the embedding (which I have changed per your instructions) but the compression. The client wanted a big file but my 114 mb file leaving here arrived as 6mb. How can I stop the compression?
Try this – https://www.noproblemmac.com/the-simple-way-to-send-movies-to-friends-from-your-mac/
I am so grateful to you for giving me the correct solution to this issue and making the directions so simple!
My pleasure.
Thanks for this. Exactly what I was looking for.
Dz
As a writer of of many one-page manuscripts, I need to be sure that recipients are receiving icons. It is paramount that manuscripts not be viewed until the receiver (often my publisher) is in a frame of mind to read it — sneak peeks end badly before coffee.
I want my one page pdf to appear as an icon on emails in mail for mac, so I used the command in Terminal suggested here. It works, recipients are receiving the pdf as an icon. HOWEVER, when I send a copy of this same email to myself — for my records and peace of mind — the pdf is again embedded in the body rather than as an icon! This gives me no peace of mind and no way of knowing what the recipient received without asking them.
Is there a way to fix this problem?
thanks for help,
Jorie
Hi Jorie – Unfortunately the only information I could find is about an App called Attachment Tamer, but it looks as if development may have stalled indefinitely. Here’s the link – http://lokiware.info/Attachment-Tamer You could always compress your PDFs into Zip files. These would always show as an icon, but that’s probably not the perfect solution for you. If i hear of anything I will update this comment. Good luck. – John
Hi John,
I’ve installed the latest upgrade on my MAC and it is now not putting in the PDF in the body of the e-mail as an icon. When I right click it states none of the options you have listed, do you mind if I send you a screenshot?
I’ve never had this issue before!
Lev
Hi Lev – This is an issue in High Sierra. Hopefully it will be addressed in an update. – John
This seems to be no longer true. What I see in macOS High Sierra is open attachment, quick look attachment, etc.
View as icon is not visible in this list
This is an issue in High Sierra. Hopefully it will be addressed in an update. – John
I entered the command into Terminal and it works for me when I am sending an email, but I would like to know if there is a setting for an email I received.
It is easier for me to select multiple attachments to click and drag if they are set to view as icon. Thank for these instructions. It is a lot cleaner when I am sending emails.
There is no setting that I am aware of. I would Google for an answer, but be careful what you do in Terminal. It’s not a place to experiment. – John
Thank you John! Your clear, easy to follow instructions saved the day! I had a pdf that had to send as an icon, not as “in place”. Your site is now bookmarked 🙂
Cheers, Miranda
Hi
Your instructions only work with Jpeg! It doesnt work with my pdf file that has multiple pages?
Any ideas?
Thanks
I haven’t found that. Maybe someone else here has and can solve the problem. – John
Hi John, Thanks the sending part worked great but the person who is recieving my email is still getting attachments in open view format. Is there a way to send so that they receive my attachments in icon format?
Thanks
Hi Jeff – Unfortunately, not that I’m aware of. If anyone has different information, please post. Thanks a million. – John
Saw a hundred blogs for permanent solution, But Bam!
First time ever searching solutions on net worked out!
So grateful to your Terminal Thing solution.
Used The Command and now files are permanently shown to me and my end Mail user as Icons. Thanks alot John!
I have placed the code in Terminal to permanently change attachments to icon view only and it doesn’t work, no matter how I try. I have restarted my computer, quit and restarted mac mail, but still my single page pdf’s show up as in line view.
Not sure what to do….
I would go online and search for a solution – terminal or otherwise – that will work with your version of macOS. If that isn’t it, you may need to reinstall the operating system, but for such a small thing it would seem like a drastic solution. – John
Thanks for this info – this has been driving me nuts
Thanks! This worked great… the person I was emailing asked for an attachment… even though it was one already. He wanted the icon evidently.
BTW, I’m on 10.13.6 High Sierra. I noticed someone said it doesn’t work on it… no problem here.
Thanks for the info Sue – John
John, how about us guys who don’t reside in Los Angeles, I’m on East Coast but would love your assistance. Although a Mac user all my life (really long) I am still in the dark with so many things. Gladly pay your fee what ever it is and I will call you at a specific time of your choosing,day or night? What do you say? PLease help me…
Hi Jason – I actually do work with folks across the country and even in other countries. Shoot me an email with your phone number and a good time to call and I’ll get in touch. All the best – John – john@noproblemmac.com
OK, so how do you get the email to print without expanding the PDF to a viewable page? When I try to print, it automatically expands the attachments.
Also, even if I choose “view as icon”, if I close and open that email again, it reverts to viewable page.
Thanks,
Hi Ellen
I looks like you can only change the View, but not how that email is printed. The only way around this is to forward the email to yourself without attachments, but I imagine this is a less than perfect solution. – John
The problem is on the receiving end. Attached Jpgs and l page pdfs will always be received as viewable in-line images. A multipage pdf will only show as an icon. In High Sierra, I put files into a folder and then attach the folder. Word and Excel files show up as icons.
This doesn’t work. I can choose ‘view as icon’, but once it goes to the recipient, it goes back to the full document. Could be the new OS? Catalina 10.15.4
Hi June – In Catalina, I’ve noticed that some file types show only as an icon and this cannot be changed. So they have definitely made some changes. How it appears on the other end depends on a huge number of factors that are mostly out of your control. If it’s Mac to Mac, there’s no Terminal code you can enter that will force an attachment to show as an icon for all recipients. I’ve looked in the past. I just looked now and was stupid enough to click on my own post 🙂 If the recipient is willing, you could try some variables… like how did they show an attachment the last time they sent an email, etc. Let me know if you find something out by posting a reply. It will help all the others who come here. Have a great weekend. – John
Hi John!
This worked great in Catalina 10.15.4 *after* granting Terminal Full Disk Access in System Preferences.
Thanks!!
Thanks for the info Mariann. Have a good week. – John
Hi John,
I thought i would join this discussion, I have the same issue with mail. I want mail to handle pdf documents the same way it handle zip files, as pure attachments. I do not want email embedded documents. My wife has to send loads of registration forms and we cannot just attach on her Mac Catalina latest. I have tried everything the view as icon only affects the view not the handling of the attachment. I keep reading it is recipient issue. If that was true why do i have no problems when i zip the files. This is so much pain.
I have tired different settings and nothing helps.
Hi Mick – Have a look at the Terminal commands below and see if they help in any way. Zip files, by their very nature are compressed so can only show as an icon. An inline document would confuse recipients who need to know they have to unzip the file. Let me know how the commands go. All the best. – John
I sent an email with a pdf attachment displayed in “view as icon” format to a mac mail recipient.
But the recipient received the email displaying the pdf file in “view in place” format.
Therefore, Is it possible to configure a pdf attachment so that it will display in the recipients mac mail in “view as icon” format?
Thanks.
Hi Mark – There’s no definitive way to control what a recipient sees . You could try the Terminal command below to ensure you always send out an icon. Whether it works on the receiving end is something you’d have to check for yourself. There are extensive comments attached to this post and others have mentioned this problem.
If you are comfortable using the Terminal you can try the following command to permanently display attachments as icons… defaults write com.apple.mail DisableInlineAttachmentViewing -boolean YES
If you later want to reverse that command use… defaults write com.apple.mail DisableInlineAttachmentViewing -boolean NO
Please note that I have not tested these commands. If you are not comfortable using Terminal, do not use it. Incorrect usage can damage your computer, macOS and/or software. John Carroll and No Problem Mac are in no way liable for your use of the Terminal with these or any other commands. Use at your own risk.
Hi John,
Arrgh– same icon issues.
Tried terminal command on my Macbook Pro running Catalina, but nothing changed.
Ok, my ignorance is showing do I need to type “-boolean Yes,” or is Yes sufficient. I just typed Yes and nothing happened.
Thanks. Howard
Copy and paste the entire text exactly as shown.
Copy and pasted –no luck.
Other suggestions? Thanks!
This should work
defaults write com.apple.mail DisableInlineAttachmentViewing -bool yes
I don’t know of any other code you could use, but you could check Google and see if anyone else is using a different command for your version of macOS.
in macos mail attachments are always somewhere inside the text. Imagine a 10 replies long email conversation and me scrolling carefully to see if there are any icons of attachments.
All other email clients show the attachments in a dedicated area so you cannot miss them. I am switching to thunderbird to escape the problem.
At the top of any email, if you hover the cursor over the light grey horizontal line, a tabbed menu appears that lets you see all attachments (the paper clip icon). You can save them or export them.
I think these settings should *all* be within user control. However, for the one thing you identified, if you go up to the menu bar, and choose “edit – attachments”, you can choose to have the attachments show up at the end of the email.
I use Adobe DC as my default for PDFs however when I attach a PDF to mac mail it displays a Preview icon. Is there a way to display the adobe income vs the preview? It probably doesn’t matter in the end but it drives me crazy.
Hi Charla – If you can’t right click on the inline document and choose to View As Icon, then I would say no. I would give Preview a try. Unless you are using Acrobat Pro, Preview is an excellent alternative.
Hi!
How do I embed a PDF with multiple of pages to the body of an email on MAC?
Hi Crissy – I’m not sure I understand the question. Attaching a PDF with 1 page is the same as attaching a PDF with multiple pages… you just click the attachment icon in Mail and attach it. Can you clarify the question? All the best. – John
Thank. Just what I was looking for.🤓
🙂
The thing that’s driving everyone in my office mad is that when they receive my inline attachments all the file name info is removed from jpegs. They come through as ‘image001.jpg’ instead of the relevant job name. It’s a massive pain in the rear. I thought that sending them as icons might fix that but haven’t been able to change either problem! Any ideas? Thanks
If you are using Adobe Acrobat, try going to Preferences>Documents and uncheck Always Use File Name As Document Title. Hope that helps – John