Tutorials

Macintosh OS X Mail Tutorials

Opening a File Attachment

When you open a message with an attachment, there will be an icon or image in the message designating the attachment. There will also be gray triangle, a paper clip and a Save All... button under the heading fields (Subject line, etc.) of the message. The applications installed on your computer determine how an attachment will open.

Steps for Opening an Attachment

1. Open the mail message with the attachment.
   
   
2. If you click on the gray triangle below the heading fields of the message, an icon for the attachment is displayed.
   
   
3. In the mail message itself, you will see an icon or an image.
   
   

Mail Message with an Icon

Mail Message with an Image




4. To open the attachment, double-click on the icon (with the gray triangle or in the message) or the image.
   
   
5. If there is an application on the computer for the attachment, then the attachment will open up.
   
   
6. If there is no application available, then you will receive a dialog box which displays "Mail couldn't find an application to open the attachment" along with buttons to Choose Application... or Cancel or Save.
   
   




7. If you are interested in saving an attachment, please visit Saving an Attachment.

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