Someone has emailed you a photo, a form or a receipt. How do you keep a copy without having to search your inbox each time? This guide explains how to download an attachment from Gmail in a web browser on a Windows PC or Mac. The phone app has different controls.
Before you open it
Only continue if you were expecting the file. An unexpected attachment deserves a check even when the sender’s name looks familiar. Contact that person through a phone number or another method you already trust, rather than using details supplied in the suspicious message. Do not bypass a security warning simply to finish these steps. Our phishing email guide explains the warning signs.
Save the attachment to your computer
- Open Gmail and the email containing your expected file.
- Look at the attachment near the bottom of the message. Move the mouse pointer over it to reveal its controls.
- Click Download, shown as a downward arrow.
- If your browser asks where to save the file, choose a folder you will recognise and select Save. Otherwise, it uses its usual download location.
- Wait for the download to finish before looking for the saved file.
Choose the file’s Download control, not a button or link inside the email’s written message. If you have several attachments, start with one so you can check where it went.
Where did it go?
In Chrome, click the three-dot menu at the top right, then Downloads. Find the file in the list. Pointing at its name reveals further actions, including Show in folder. Chrome normally uses your computer’s Downloads folder unless you have changed that setting.
The browser’s download list is a record, not a separate storage cupboard. Removing an entry from that list does not delete the saved file from your computer. For help in File Explorer or Finder, see how to find downloaded files on Windows or Mac.
Download or Add to Drive: which do you need?
Download saves a copy to your computer. Add to Drive saves a supported attachment to Google Drive instead. Both controls can appear when you point at an attachment; choose Download if you want a local file. Some attachment types cannot be added to Drive.
For example, if your aim is to keep a garden quote in a folder on your laptop, use Download. If you choose Drive by mistake, looking only in the laptop’s Downloads folder will not find that Drive copy.
What if the photo is inside the message?
A photo displayed within the email may not have the usual attachment controls. Right-click the image and choose the option to save it. The exact wording depends on your browser.
If you cannot download it
A message sent using Gmail’s confidential mode does not allow its text or attachments to be downloaded. Ask the sender for an appropriate alternative rather than trying to get around the restriction.
If you already see the file in your browser’s download list, check its status before clicking Download repeatedly. If it is missing altogether, return to the email and make sure you selected the attachment rather than a different control.
Make the saved copy easy to recognise
Once you have located the expected file, give it a useful home: a folder such as House paperwork is more helpful than leaving every receipt in Downloads. Our guides show how to create a folder and rename a file. Keep the file extension, such as .pdf or .jpg, unchanged.
Need to send a file instead? Follow our separate guide to sending an attachment in Gmail.
Sources and scope
Checked on 14 November 2026 against Google’s guidance on Gmail attachments and Chrome downloads, and Microsoft’s advice on unexpected attachments and online scams. This is a documentation-based guide, not a claim of hands-on testing.