If you’ve ever sent an email to someone, you’ve likely seen some emails with large file attachments. What’s the deal? Email attachments are computer files that are sent along with the message. Typically, people use email attachments to share documents or images. But you can also send links to large files instead of sending them as attachments. Here are some tips for protecting yourself. Read on to learn more. And remember to always check attachments for malicious software!
Compressing large email attachments
The file size limit for emails is about 10mb – 25mb, although some email systems allow more than that. However, this limit can still prove frustrating for those with large files to attach. To make matters better, consider compressing the file with a tool such as Compressor. The following are some steps you can take to compress large email attachments. Once you’ve done this, you’ll be able to attach the file faster.
First, open the file in the recipient’s email application. Double-click the file to expand it. You should compress it to less than 10 percent of the original file size before sending it to the recipient. If the file is much larger than this, consider sending it using a file-sending or cloud-storage service. In most cases, email service providers put a limit on how large the attachment can be.
Sending links instead of a file
One reason for sending links instead of files when emailing attachments is that they are safer for the recipient. Attachments are separate entities and can take a long time to send, taking up both time and bandwidth. A link, on the other hand, comes in one shape: a link always contains the name and URL of the website it points to. It can be viewed at any time by the recipient, making it much safer for everyone involved.
You can easily send links instead of files by selecting the Share option on your message. To set links as the default attachment type, go to Insert > Attachments > Shared Files. This will give you a list of recipients and files that you want to share. You can also include a password, expiration date, or a list of the files to share. Once you’ve done this, you can send any attachment that has been saved on the cloud.
Checking for malicious software in email attachments
The best way to protect yourself from malware and viruses is to check email attachments for malicious software before you open them. While these files are often the easiest way to spread, they are also the most common source of these viruses. While it may be tempting to forward emails without examining them first, doing so can quickly infect many machines. In fact, many viruses don’t even require you to forward them to your inbox; instead, they simply scan your computer for email addresses and send an infected message to your inbox. Attackers take advantage of the fact that we trust emails and so open attachments from unknown sources.
Another tip to check for malicious software is the file extension. The file extension is the last three or four letters of a file’s name. It tells your computer which application it should use to open the file. The most secure file types to open are images, videos, and audio files. Most of these files come with the JPG, GIF, PNG, and MOV extensions. If you’re not sure, check the message’s legitimacy via phone to see if it was sent from a reputable source.
Avoiding unsolicited files as attachments
Despite its name, you should avoid opening email attachments containing malicious code. Computer files are named for the purpose of identifying them. File types include documents, pictures, videos, executables, zip archives, and others. Malware can be hidden within these file types. In some cases, it can even be disguised as an actual file. Be sure to check the subject line and message body to identify the file type.
Moreover, the size of an email attachment is crucial. Most email clients and servers have size requirements depending on the type of file. Additionally, unsolicited emails often contain image files to disguise text. To avoid being fooled, make sure to label large images with red text. This will make it easier for recipients to locate the file. Avoid opening unsolicited files as email attachments. Instead, avoid clicking on them and download them.
Avoiding spam folders
If you have ever sent an email that contained a large image, you may have had it go straight to your spam folder. This happens for many reasons, including email spam filters and a person’s own reaction to the email. Another major reason why an email gets flagged as spam is because it contains a subject line that includes “Free!”
Spammers love to send email attachments – they may try to hide malware within a ZIP file, embed malicious macros into office files, or use PDFs to spread malicious code. Because of this, email servers are taking a closer look at email attachments to ensure that they do not get flagged as spam. Those who do use email attachments should avoid sending these emails to their recipients unless they are already familiar with the company. In smaller personalized email campaigns, it is okay to use attachments.