• Pricing
  1. Home
  2. Blog
  3. How-To
  4. How to Embed a PDF in an Email: A Complete Guide
pdf-reader-how-to-view-pdf-banner

How to Embed a PDF in an Email: A Complete Guide

by David Beníček

Save time and avoid email clutter by embedding PDFs directly into your emails for easy, instant access to important documents without downloading.

Embed PDFs in emails to share polished docs instantly—perfect for invoices, presentations, and reports. Here’s how to make your communication seamless.

What Does It Mean to Embed a PDF in an Email?

Embedding a PDF in an email means showing its content directly in the email body so the recipient can view it without opening or downloading a separate file. This is different from attaching a PDF, which requires the recipient to download and open it. Depending on the email platform, the PDF might appear as an image or a preview. However, embedding a PDF isn't always that simple, as many email clients don't fully support it and may need special tools or services.

Step by Step: How To Embed a PDF In an Email

Attaching a PDF File in Outlook: 1. Click the attachment button (usually a paperclip icon) 2. Remember, attachment size limits are usually around 25 MB. Just choose the PDF from your device and click send.

How to Embed a PDF in an Email2

Using a Cloud Storage Link (e.g., Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive) 1. Upload the PDF to a cloud storage service like Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, or iCloud. 2. Copy the shareable link and paste it in the email. 3. Now, the recipient can easily access the PDF without any size problems.

Convert your PDF to JPG Using Smallpdf 1. Upload your PDF to Smallpdf’s PDF to JPG converter. 2. Select the pages you want to convert (or all pages). 3. Download the images once the conversion is done. 4. Insert the image(s) into your email body.

How to Embed a PDF in an Email4
How to Embed a PDF in an Email5

Compressing the PDF with Smallpdf for Email Attachment 1. Go to Smallpdf PDF Compressor. 2. Upload the PDF you want to send. 3. Download the compressed version. 4. Attach the compressed PDF to your email.

Share via Smallpdf’s Cloud Storage Integration 1. Upload your PDF to Smallpdf. 2. Choose the Share option to create a link to the PDF stored in the cloud. 3. Copy the link and paste it into the email with a call-to-action like "Click here to view the document."

How to Embed a PDF in an Email1

Embedding a PDF in an Email Not working? Common Issues and Fixes

  • Issue: Email clients blocking attachments or links.

What to do: Use the shareable cloud link from Smallpdf.

  • Issue: The recipient cannot open the embedded PDF or image.

What to do: Check if they have the proper software to view the file or send a PDF download link.

  • Issue: The PDF is too large for email attachment.

What to do: Use Smallpdf’s compression tool to reduce the file size.

How to Embed a PDF in an Email: Top FAQs Answered

How do you embed a PDF in the body of an email? To embed a PDF in the body of an email, you can convert the PDF to an image and insert it, or upload the PDF to a cloud storage service and share the link in the email. Alternatively, you can copy and paste the text from the PDF directly into the email.

What if my PDF is too large to attach? If your PDF is too large to attach, it could be because the file size is too big for the service you're using, as many email platforms have size limits for attachments. PDFs with high-resolution images, custom fonts, or interactive features like forms and videos can also make the file larger. Additionally, PDFs that aren't optimized and have extra content or unused elements tend to be larger. To fix this, you can compress the PDF, reduce the size of images, or use tools to optimize the file.

How can I make sure my PDF is secure when sending it in an email? You can encrypt the PDF with a password and send the password separately, similar to how the Smallpdf's Password Protect PDF tool works.

David Beníček – Product & Engineering Manager
David Beníček
Product & Engineering Manager @Smallpdf