How to Download Attachments from Gmail?

Quick Answer: To download attachments from Gmail, open the email and click the “Download” icon next to the attachment. Use the “Download All Attachments” option to save multiple attachments from one email. If you need to download attachments from multiple emails, use Google Takeout to export your Gmail data and extract the files. On the other hand, you can use this program to directly extract all Gmail attachments at once.

Download-Button

Attachments are important parts of many emails. They can be photos, documents, PDFs, or any other file sent to you through Gmail. Sometimes, you may want to download attachments in Gmail separately for various reasons. Such as saving attachments to free up storage space, taking a backup of crucial attachments, easy and quick sharing of Gmail attachments and downloading attachments to access data offline.

Which Method Should You Use to Download Attachments from Gmail?

Before downloading anything, decide whether you need a few files from one message ar attachments collected across your mailbox.

Your Requirement Recommended Method Best for
One or two attachments Gmail’s download option Quick downloads
All attachments in one email Download all attachments Saving multiple files together
Download attachments from multiple emails Google Takeout Creating a mailbox archive
Attachments without manually extracting full mailbox Use a dedicated Gmail attachment downloader Organized bulk downloads
Download on Android or iPhone Gmail app or mobile browser Saving files on the go

Method 1. How to Save Attachments from Gmail Individually?

Here, we will show you the freeway, or you can say the manual ways to save single Gmail attachments.

Step 1. Log in to your Gmail account through any web browser.

Step 2. Open the specific email from which you want to extract attachments.

Step 3. Scroll down and look for the attachments in your email, and click on the download icon.

download attachments from gmail

Step 4. Now, it will be saved on your computer.

Done!! This is how you can download a single Gmail attachment. With this approach, you cannot download Gmail attachments in bulk.

Method 2. How to Download All Attachments from One Email in Gmail?

Step 1. Log in to your Gmail account through any web browser.

Step 2. Open the email containing multiple attachments.

Step 3. Click on Download All Attachments.

download all attachments from gmail

Method 3. How to Download Attachments from Multiple Emails in Gmail Using Google Takeout?

1. Visit https://takeout.google.com/settings/takeout and sign in.

2. Choose the Mail option to include in the export and click Next.

Choose the Mail option

3. Select Send a download link via email option.

Select Send a download link via email

4. Choose the Frequency, File Type & Size and click Create Export.

click Create Export

5. Google will start creating export. Once ready, you will receive an email with a download link.

6. Click Download Archive and extract the .zip file to get .mbox file.

Click Download Archive

Now, you can open it in any supported email application and extract attachments from MBOX file.

Method 4. How to Extract Attachments from Gmail in Bulk?

Try Advik Gmail Backup Software on your Windows computer. With this program, you can directly download all attachments from Gmail emails at once. Plus, here you will get an option to download attachments based on various filters such as to, from, cc, bcc, and many more. You can even save attachments from multiple Gmail accounts in a single attempt. However, if you face any issues while downloading Gmail attachments, feel free to contact our support team. They are available 24*7 to solve user queries.

Click the download button to install this software and give it a try.

 

Steps to Save Attachments from Multiple Emails in Gmail

Step 1. Run this Gmail Attachment Extractor on your PC.

bulk download gmail attachments

Step 2. Select mailbox folders in which you want to extract attachments.

export all attachments from gmail

Step 3. Choose Extract Email Attachments as a saving option.

download all attachments from gmail

Step 4. Browse the location & click the Backup button.

download all attachments from gmail

After completion of the process, open your target location.

Now, you can see a new folder has been created named”Attachment”, here are all your attachments downloaded from Gmail account.

Method 5. How to Download Attachments in Gmail on Android and iPhone?

You can extract individual attachments directly from the Gmail mobile app.

On Android

  1. Log in to the Gmail app.
  2. Open the email containing attachment.
  3. Click on the Download icon on the attachment.
  4. Open your device’s Downloads folder or files app to locate the file.

On iPhone

  1. Sign in to your Gmail account and select the email.
  2. Tap on the attachment to preview it.
  3. Click the Share icon or the available download option.
  4. Select Save to Files and choose a folder on your iPhone or in the iCloud Drive.

Watch How to Download All Gmail Attachments at Once

How to Download Gmail Attachments Larger Than 25 MB?

Gmail generally limits the total size of attachments sent in a single message to 25 MB. For larger files,, Gmail uses Google Drive links instead of attaching the files directly.

To download a file shared through Drive:

  1. Open the Gmail message.
  2. Click the Google Drive file link or preview.
  3. Sign in to the appropriate Google account if prompted.
  4. Click the Download icon if you have permission to download the file.

If the owner has restricted downloading, request the necessary permissions.

How to Check the Extracted Gmail Attachments?

Before deleting messages or moving files into an archive, verify that the downloaded attachments are complete and usable.

Use this checklist:

  • Compare the number of downloaded files with the attachments you expected to save.
  • Test several PDFs, images, spreadsheets and documents.
  • Look for zero-byte files or files that are much smaller than expected.
  • Confirm that filenames and extensions are correct where possible.
  • If you used date or sender-based folders, confirm that the files are saved in the correct locations.
  • Open the original messages for a few older and newer attachments and make sure the downloaded files match.

Conclusion

Extracting attachments from Gmail emails is simple when you only need a few files. You can use Gmail’s built-in Download option for individual emails or use Google Takeout to save attachments from multiple Gmail emails. If you want to download all attachments from Gmail without manually processing the entire mailbox, using the automated tool is the best option. Here, we have explained all methods in detail. Choose any method that fits your needs.

FAQs – Extract Attachments from Gmail

Q1. How to save attachments from the Gmail app?

Ans. Below are the steps to extract all attachments from Gmail via the Mobile App.

  1. Open the Gmail application on your Smartphone.
  2. Go to Settings.
  3. Select your Gmail account.
  4. Scroll down and select auto download attachments.                                                                 download all attachments from gmail

Q2. Can I download attachments from specific emails?

Ans. Yes, the Advik software offers advanced email filters to extract email attachments from selective emails based on to, from, subject, cc, cc, and many more.

You can see this in the screenshot below.

advik gmail attachment extration email filter

Q3. What file types can I extract from Gmail?

Ans. You can extract all attachment file types, including PDFs, images, documents, videos, and more, as long as they comply with Gmail’s file policies.

Q4. Can I download all attachments from Gmail at once?

Ans. Yes, you can use Adviksoftware to extract multiple attachments in Gmail in one go.

Q5. Is there a free way to extract attachments from Gmail in bulk?

Ans. You can use Google Drive to extract attachments for free, but it requires basic coding knowledge and has limitations on processing large numbers of emails.

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Written by

Sarah Bennett

Sarah Bennett is a Senior Content Manager at Advik Software, where she has worked on SEO and technical content since 2017. She writes practical, step-by-step guides on email migration, Outlook troubleshooting and data management, from importing MSG files to fixing shared mailboxes that won't sync. Before joining Advik, she spent six years as a Content Analyst at Accenture. She holds a B.S. in Computer Science from Western Carolina University.