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This question may in some respect, resemble Attach multiple files to an email from Google Docs, but the answers there didn't answer my question.

I often find myself wanting to attach documents stored in Google Docs to my GMail mails, but unfortunately I know only two ways of doing it.

  • Download the file, and then attach it.
  • Send a mail, directly from Google Docs

What I want is to attach the document from within GMail itself.

There are a number of reasons for this.

  • Attaching multiple documents is impossible from google docs site.
  • Attaching a document to a reply is impossible without downloading the file from Google Docs.

As per the discussion in Google Product Forums, attaching a Google Doc directly from GMail is not possible, but the posts there are almost a year old.

So, if anyone knows of a way of doing this, please help out.

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  • As far as I see, there is no option to attach files from drive "as real attachments" not as links to the actual drive file + share. Strangely the attach picture form has tow options: "inline" or "as attachment", some similar options would be be needed in the add from drive form to "share" vs "as attachment".
    – Radu Maris
    Apr 24, 2014 at 22:40

2 Answers 2

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Gmail now lets you insert multiple files from Drive/Google Docs directly into an email without leaving your Gmail.

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  • Nice that the developers at Google are finally paying heed to public suggestions
    – Hashken
    Dec 10, 2012 at 5:24
  • 4
    As far as I can tell, this feature puts a link in the email but does not actually attach the files. Is there an option I'm missing for actually attaching the file?
    – Ben Voigt
    Sep 24, 2013 at 18:20
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Have you tried downloading Google drive for PC/Mac? That allows you to have access to your Google drive documents from a folder on your hard drive. This can only be done if you have permission to add the software to the PC, and if you want to be able to share access to those files on that PC.

I did try to use the Gmail lab tool that allows you to see Google docs from the gmail window. But it didn't allow drag and drop as an attachment.

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  • 2
    I primarily use Linux. So, the Desktop app is not an option. Moreover, I don't need sync facilities, rather, just a simple way to attach files from Google Drive. I am surprised that those at Google have not bothered to look into this issue, despite repeated requests from the community. Guess, these are the shortcomings of using a product which is not open-source.
    – Hashken
    Jun 13, 2012 at 12:06
  • The solution that Google has gone with appears to be the ability to share the files in Google drive. You can select multiple files and then select more/share. The problem is that if they are not a Google user they may not know what to do with the link. Jun 13, 2012 at 12:24
  • My understanding is that files attached in GMail take up separate space as compared GoogleDrive. So, if the user wants to attach a Document to a mail, why not just create a copy of it in the GMail space. And as far as User Permissions are concerned, the guy would attach a document and send it to someone only if he wants them to have full access to it.
    – Hashken
    Jun 15, 2012 at 8:30

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