How to embed a pdf file into the body of an email?

[catelizfcp]

How can I embed a pdf file into the body of an email?

[Anubha Goel]

Hi catelizfcp,

Open your email (Eg: Outlook) and simply click 'New Email' on the ribbon bar to open a new message window.

Now, go to 'Insert > Object > Create from File' and browse the PDF file that you need to insert in the body of your email message and click ok.

Regards,

Anubha

[Dov Isaacs]

That will absolutely NOT embed a PDF file, at least with Outlook on Windows. At best, it will create a low resolution raster image of the first page of the PDF file and put it into the e-mail!

          - Dov

[catelizfcp]

Thank you, Anubha, for your response. The only problem is that in my Outlook.com when go to Insert, the only options are: Files as attachments, Pictures inline, or Share from OneDrive. There is no option for Object>Create from File.

Any other suggestions?

catelizfcp

[Dov Isaacs · Accepted solution]

Per my response to Anubha above and on behalf of Adobe, there is no way to embed a PDF file in an Outlook e-mail message other than a low resolution, crufty-looking raster representation of the first page and that is via OLE using the Outlook client on Windows. As you have noticed, the Outlook web client doesn't offer even that as an option since it doesn't support OLE.

If you need to include a PDF file with your e-mail, the only safe and dependable thing to do is to send it as an attachment!

          - Dov

[catelizfcp]

Thank you, Dov!

Is there any email client that will permit a PDF file to be embedded??

[Dov Isaacs]

The problem is defining what it even means to “embed” a PDF file in the body of an e-mail, especially if you are dealing with a multiple page PDF file.

E-mail is either pure text, rich text (something akin to RTF in Word), or HTML. PDF is not compatible with any of these. Thus, to embed a PDF file, something has to be converted and that means the PDF would be converted to a less graphically rich raster format. But is that what you would really want?

I think that the MacOS and iOS e-mail clients do under some circumstances place an attached PDF file within HTML segments and by clicking on same, you get the equivalent of extracting the full PDF file, but I have no real experience with that.

Another alternative is HTML with a proxy image with a hyperlink to an external PDF file that is invoked when you click on the hyperlink.

Perhaps you can explain what you are really trying to accomplish and what the recipient of such an e-mail's actual experience would be?

          - Dov

[catelizfcp]

I created a one sheet Christmas card using Word and converted it to a PDF file for my son's business customers which he wants to send via email. I used a full page template and added words. I cannot get that document that document to appear in an email without attaching it; he wanted his message to appear when the email was opened so the customer would not have to open an attachment.

Thank you!

[Test Screen Name]

Some email clients will AUTOMATICALLY embed a PDF, especially if it is single page. Mac mail sometimes does this. But this is not a choice of the sender, it's done by the receiver.

Bear in mind that ever fewer people even use an email client today. More and more just use a browser, and what they see depends on the web site design and browser.

[Test Screen Name]

So, for the Christmas card idea, PDF is absolutely the wrong choice. There is no way at all to dictate what appears on screen, but of the things available, JPEG is the best bet. Bear in mind many PDF viewers suppress graphic display unless or until you press a button. So be ABSOLUTELY SURE you have a text message explaining what the picture is!

[Bill12]

I am one of those folks that has my e-mail package set to not display pictures. I click on them for the display if I wish. So I agree with TSN to let folks know there is a graphic message. If you ask why I have this turned off, it is an issue with the viruses that can be embedded in graphics.

[catelizfcp]

Thank you to all who have responded! I will certainly be pursuing another avenue for future efforts!

[Karin Johnes]

similar issue here - the prob is when i save the .pdf to jpeg, it saves each page as it's own image - then for sure adding to the email looks like junk. Any advise appreciated !

[Test Screen Name]

Karin, email is unfortunately not what a lot of us want it to be. An email can't be made to look like a book, or anything like that. If you want to make impressive emails you have to learn what can be done (and a whole lot that can't be done). Remember that for many, perhaps most people, pictures are OFF when email arrives, so the first thing you need is some words that convince them to allow pictures. Look at the emails that are good for you. If you have pictures on by default, turn it off, so you can see how most of the world sees it. And look for specialist tools designed to make the most of emails.

[billgrace72]

If you look further to the right on your ribbon, in the "Text" section, you will find the "Object" option.

As Dov stated, it will not embed the item. It places a low res image of your pdf there.

[Ibadat32752767zv0n]

The process is OK but it will only embed the 1st page of PDF. If we mahe more than 1 page in PDF file it will not embed as whole.

[mindyb57988392]

I just found this thread and since it is 2020 now, would like to ask a similar question. I have created a flyer in AI cc. If I convert it in PS to a jpeg I can drag this into the body of the email and also attach it as an AI PDF. This way the receiver sees the full news update. However, as Dov wrote previously, the quality is not great. Is there now a way to both attach the AI pdf and have it come up with better resolution in the body of the email? Or in the alternative, can people recommend a service like constant contact where a custom flyer would convert well? Thank you in advance for your help.

[rosemary271753422o8r]

If you use Gmail, you can open in >Viewer on your pc, and then go to edit, and hit  >copy and then paste  in your email body. But thats gmail. Also I use Canva, and then hit > Share, > Copy to Clipboard, then go to email ( Gmail, though) and right click, and >Paste. As you can see, I've pasted it into an email, see attached photo, (contact info covered)

 

[Test Screen Name]

That is not related to the question. Your spam link is a web site, not an email. 

[Daniel28090661uyv3]

So, to be clear, there is NO way to embed a multi-page PDF into an Outlook email? It can only be sent as an attachment? Wow. 

[Larry A Wood]

I cut and paste a screenshot of what I want to put into an email.