How to Reduce the Size of Photo Attachments in an Email

Attaching a large photo to an email can make it difficult for your email server to send your message, as well as make it hard for the recipients to open the message. The slower the Internet connection, the harder it will be to handle a large photo attachment. While photo files taken straight from a digital camera are usually extremely large, in order to accommodate photo printers, it's easy to make the file smaller and therefore easier to email.

Instructions

On Windows

1. Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the folder where your image is saved.

2. Right-click on the image file. Select "Resize Pictures."

3. Choose "Small" from the pop-up dialog box, then click "OK." A second copy of your image will be saved, appended with "(Small)." For example, if your original image is "Kids.jpg" your new, smaller image will be saved as "Kids (Small).jpg".

4. Open your email program and compose a new email message.

5. Attach the new, smaller version of your image to your email message.

Create a ZIP File

1. Navigate to the folder on your computer where your image file is located. Right-click on the file and choose "Copy."

2. Right-click anywhere on your desktop. Choose "New > Compressed (zipped) Folder." Name the resulting ZIP file something memorable.

3. Right-click inside this new, empty folder window and choose "Paste."

4. Open your email program and compose a new message.

5. Attach the ZIP file you created in Step 1.

Online Tools

1. Upload your original image file to an online photo resizing service.

2. Save the resulting smaller image file to your computer.

3. Launch your email program and compose a new message. Attach the new file to the email.

Tips & Warnings

• ZIP files compress the size of existing files to make them easier to send. Your email recipient can usually open the ZIP file by double-clicking on the file, highlighting its contents (Edit -> Select All), and dragging the contents onto the desktop.

References

• Microsoft Support: Resize Digital Images

Resources

• Shrink Pictures
• Pic Resize
• Resize 2 Mail