How to Embed a PDF in an Email (What Works)
Gmail and Outlook will not show a PDF inside an email body. Three ways that work instead: attach it, add a preview image that links to it, or send a link.
Quick answer: you cannot truly embed a PDF in an email. Gmail and Outlook do not show iframes or embedded files inside a message, so a PDF never appears as a scrollable document in the body. What works: attach the PDF, or put an image of its first page in the email and link that image to the PDF.
Why a PDF cannot sit inside an email
On a website, you can embed a PDF with an iframe and readers scroll it on the page. Email apps strip or block that kind of content for security. The common mail apps show text, images and links in the body, and files only as attachments.
So "embed" in email really means one of three things.
| Way | What the reader sees | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Attach the PDF | A file at the bottom of the email | Small files sent to one person |
| 2. Preview image linked to PDF | The first page in the body, tap to open | Newsletters, brochures, menus |
| 3. A text link or button | A line or button that opens the PDF | Large files, files you may update |
1. Attach the PDF
Click the paperclip, choose the file and send. Gmail allows attachments up to 25 MB on personal accounts and Outlook defaults to 20 MB, so larger files need another way. Steps for each app: how to send a PDF by email.
The reader has to download and open the file, and you cannot change it once it is sent.
2. Show a preview image that links to the PDF
This is the closest thing to embedding. The reader sees the first page in the email and taps it to open the whole document.
- Upload the PDF with the PDF to link tool, using a free account, and copy its link.
- Save the first page as an image. Most PDF readers can export a page as PNG or JPG, or take a screenshot.
- In your email, insert the image in the body.
- Select the image and add the PDF link to it.
- Add a short line under it, such as "Tap to read the full brochure (8 pages)".
In Gmail, insert the image with the photo icon, then select it and use the link button. In Outlook, insert the picture, right-click it and choose Link. Most newsletter tools have an image block with a link field.
Keep the image under about 600 px wide so it fits on phones, and always add the text line in case images are blocked.
3. Send a link or button
For large PDFs or files you may update, paste the link in a sentence or as a button in your newsletter tool. The PDF opens in the browser, on any device, with no account and no download.
With SharePDF you can also replace the PDF without changing the link, so a link in an email you sent last month opens this month's file. And you get an email the first time someone else opens an unlisted PDF, which an attachment cannot give you.
Embedding on a web page instead
If you want readers to scroll the PDF on a page, put it on your website and send a link to that page. Steps and copy-paste code: how to embed a PDF in HTML, or use the embed PDF tool.
Which to choose
- One small file to one person: attach it.
- A newsletter, brochure or menu: preview image linked to the PDF.
- Big files, or files that change: a link.
- You want to know it was opened: a tracked link. See what is a read receipt for why email receipts are not enough.
FAQ
Can I embed a PDF in a Gmail message?
Not as a scrollable document. Insert an image of the first page and link it to the PDF, or attach the file.
Can I embed a PDF in Outlook?
Not inside the message body. Outlook shows a PDF as an attachment. A preview image linked to the PDF works in Outlook and every other mail app.
Will a linked image work if images are blocked?
The reader sees the image's alt text or a blank box. That is why you should add a text line with the same link under the image.
Does a PDF link go to spam?
Not usually. Avoid emails that are only a link. Add a few lines of context and use a recognisable sender name.
Can I see who opened the PDF from my email?
With a SharePDF link you see when it was opened and how many times. To see who, turn on email capture on a paid plan.