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How to Forward an Email as an Attachment (Outlook, Gmail, Apple Mail)
You’ve probably forwarded hundreds of emails. You hit “Forward,” type a quick note, and send. So why would anyone want to forward an email *as an attachment* instead? Good question, and it’s the one most people never think to ask until a security team or an IT colleague asks them to do it.
Let me walk you through what it actually means, when you’d want it, and exactly how to do it in the clients you’re most likely using.
Key Takeaways
• Forwarding as an attachment sends the original email as a self-contained file (`.eml` or `.msg`) instead of pasting its text into a new message.
• A normal forward strips the original email headers and lets the text be edited; forward-as-attachment preserves the whole message exactly as it arrived.
• It’s the correct way to report phishing or spam to IT, because security teams need the intact original, headers and all.
• Outlook, Gmail, and Apple Mail all support it, though each hides it in a slightly different place.
• It’s also the cleanest way to forward multiple emails at once without a messy quoted thread.
What does “forward as an attachment” actually mean?
When you do a regular forward, your email client copies the *visible content* of the message into a brand-new email. The original becomes quoted text underneath whatever you type. It looks fine, but a lot of information quietly disappears, and the recipient is now reading a copy that you could have edited.
Forwarding as an attachment works differently. Instead of copying the text, your client packages the entire original message into a file and attaches that file to a new email. The recipient opens the attachment and sees the original message exactly as it was: same sender, same timestamp, same formatting, same attachments, and crucially, the same hidden headers.
That file is usually an `.eml` file (a standard format most clients understand) or a `.msg` file (Outlook’s own format). Either way, it’s the complete email, sealed and unaltered.
Why would I forward an email as an attachment?
Fair question, since the regular forward works for most everyday situations. Here’s when the attachment method earns its keep:
- You’re reporting spam or phishing. Security teams need the original headers to trace where the message really came from. More on this below, because it’s the most important reason.
- You’re sharing an email as evidence or a record. When an email needs to stand as proof of something, an unedited attached copy is far more credible than text you could have changed.
- You’re forwarding several emails at once. Attaching five messages as five clean files is tidier than five stacked, quoted threads.
- You want to preserve original formatting and attachments. A regular forward can mangle layouts or drop embedded images. The attached original keeps everything intact.
So the short version: any time the *integrity* of the original message matters more than convenience, forward it as an attachment.
How is this different from a regular forward?
This is the distinction that makes everything click, so let’s put the two side by side.
A regular (inline) forward pastes the message body into a new email. You can edit it, the headers are gone, and the recipient is trusting that you didn’t change anything. It’s perfect for “Hey, take a look at this,” where nobody needs forensic detail.
A forward as an attachment wraps the whole original, headers included, into a file. Nobody can edit it without it being obvious, and the technical trail stays intact. It’s the right call when accuracy and authenticity matter.
Think of it this way: a regular forward is like reading someone a quote from a letter. Forwarding as an attachment is like handing over the sealed envelope, postmark and all.
Here’s the part most guides skip. Forwarding as an attachment is the only correct way to report a phishing or spam email to your IT or security team. When you do a normal forward, your email client strips out the original headers, the hidden lines that record the true sending server, the routing path, the authentication results (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), and the real return address. Those headers are exactly what security analysts use to trace and block an attack. A normal forward hands them a gutted message with the evidence already destroyed. Forwarding as an attachment delivers the complete original, headers and all, so the team can actually do their job. If your security team has ever replied “please resend this as an attachment,” now you know precisely why.
How do I forward an email as an attachment in each client?
The feature exists almost everywhere, it’s just tucked into different menus. Here’s the quick reference, then I’ll add notes for each.
| Client | How to forward as an attachment |
|---|---|
| Outlook (desktop) | Select the email, then Home > More > Forward as Attachment (or Ctrl+Alt+F). You can also drag the email into the body of a new message. |
| New Outlook / Outlook on the web | Open or select the message, click the More actions (…) menu, then choose Forward as attachment. |
| Gmail | Tick the checkbox next to one or more emails in your inbox, click the three-dot menu at the top, and select Forward as attachment. |
| Apple Mail | Select the message, then Message menu > Forward as Attachment. You can also drag the message into the body of a new email. |
Outlook (desktop)
In classic Outlook for Windows, select the message in your inbox (don’t open it). On the Home tab, look for More in the Respond group, and choose Forward as Attachment. The keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Alt+F does the same thing instantly. A new message opens with the original attached as a `.msg` file. The drag-and-drop trick also works nicely: start a new email, then drag the original message from your inbox straight into the body.
New Outlook and Outlook on the web
The redesigned Outlook moved things around. Open the message (or right-click it), find the More actions menu, shown as three dots (…), and select Forward as attachment. The web version follows the same path, so if you live in a browser, you’re covered.
Gmail
Gmail added this feature so you can attach multiple emails at once, which is genuinely useful. From your inbox, tick the checkbox beside each email you want to send. Then open the three-dot “More” menu at the top of the list and choose Forward as attachment. Each selected message becomes a `.eml` file on a fresh email. You can also open a single message, click its own three-dot menu, and find the same option there.
Apple Mail
On a Mac, select the message in your mailbox, then go to the Message menu in the menu bar and pick Forward as Attachment. As with Outlook, you can also drag a message (or several) from the message list into the body of a new email to attach them. The result is a tidy `.eml` attachment that opens cleanly in most clients.
What should I do when reporting phishing this way?
Glad you’re thinking about it, because doing it correctly genuinely helps. When you spot a suspicious message:
- Don’t click anything in the email, and don’t reply to the sender.
- Forward it as an attachment to your IT or security team’s reporting address (often something like `phishing@` or `abuse@` your company domain).
- Add a short note in your forwarding message: where you found it, whether you clicked anything, and why it looked off.
- Then delete the original once you’ve reported it, if your policy says to.
That attached file gives the team the full headers they need to investigate, block the sender, and warn other employees. A regular forward would leave them guessing.
Will the recipient be able to open the attachment?
Almost always, yes. `.eml` files are a widely supported standard, so Outlook, Gmail, Apple Mail, and most other clients open them without fuss. `.msg` files are Outlook’s native format and open best in Outlook, though many modern clients handle them too.
If you’re sending to someone outside your organization on an unknown client, `.eml` is the safer, more universal choice. Apple Mail and Gmail both produce `.eml`, while Outlook produces `.msg` by default, worth keeping in mind if compatibility matters.
Run your email the proper way with DarazHost
Forwarding, reporting, and preserving email correctly all get easier when your email is on solid footing. DarazHost provides professional business email hosting on your own domain that works seamlessly with the clients you already use, Outlook and Apple Mail over IMAP, plus clean webmail in the browser.
That means you can handle, forward, and report email the proper way, no matter which device or client you reach for. You get reliable, secure email built for businesses that take their communication seriously, backed by 24/7 support whenever you need a hand. Whether you’re managing a team inbox or just want your messages to look and behave professionally, hosting your email on your own domain with DarazHost keeps you in control.
Frequently asked questions
Does forwarding as an attachment include the original attachments too? Yes. Because the entire original message is packaged into one file, any attachments that came with it stay inside, untouched. That’s one of the main reasons to use this method when formatting and files must be preserved exactly.
Can I forward multiple emails as attachments in one message? Yes, and it’s a great use case. Gmail and Apple Mail both let you select several messages and attach them all to a single new email. In Outlook, you can drag multiple selected messages into one new message body.
Will the recipient see that it came from me, or from the original sender? Both, in a sense. The new email comes from you, and the attached file preserves the original sender’s details. When the recipient opens the attachment, they see the original sender, date, and headers exactly as they appeared.
Why does my IT team keep asking me to forward suspicious emails as attachments? Because a normal forward strips the technical headers they need to trace the attack. Forwarding as an attachment keeps the complete original intact, headers and all, so they can investigate the true source and protect everyone else.
What’s the difference between a `.eml` and a `.msg` file? `.eml` is a universal, standards-based email format that nearly every client opens. `.msg` is Outlook’s proprietary format, which opens best in Outlook. For maximum compatibility, especially across organizations, `.eml` is the safer choice.
