Outlook 2013 Tip: Never Forget to Send Attachments

Last Updated on April 1, 2013

Have you ever sent an email saying you attached a file but forgot to include it? Outlook 2013 includes a handy feaure that kicks in if you forget to attach a file.

While sending a lot of emails on a busy day, have you ever sent a message saying you attached a file but forgot to include it? Outlook 2013 includes a handy feature that reminds you if it appears you forgot to attach a file.

Outlook 2013 Attachment Reminder

The setting should be enabled by default, but if not, go to File > Options > Mail then under the Send Messages section, verify that “Warn Me When I Send a Message that May be Missing an Attachment” is checked.

Here’s the typical scenario: You compose and email letting the recipient know you’ve attached a file, but forget to actually include it and hit Send.

Message

Outlook will give you an Attachment Reminder message. Click Don’t Send, attach the file, and send the message.

Outlook 2013 looks for a sequence of words in the body and subject of the email. Words that will trigger the reminder would be obvious ones like “attach” and “attachment”. Or phrases like “print attachments”, “enclosed”, “see the attached spreadsheet”…etc. It might not always work (depending on the sequence of words), but it’s good to know this feature will have your back. Especially if you’re sending something to your boss and don’t want to be embarrassed by forgetting it.

If you use Microsoft’s revamped webmail service Outlook.com, it also has an Attachment Reminder you can enable.

If you’re using an older version of Outlook, check out this article on the Forgotten Attachments Detector. Or use a third party tool like Code Two Outlook Attachment Reminder.

11 Comments

Steve Krause
Great feature! I use this all the time. Great tip.
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reholmes
At last! I suggested this to MS two decades ago.
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- Steve Krause
  hehehe for sure! Can’t tell you how many times I’ve been told — Um Steve… you forgot the attachment!
  Reply
  - Richard Holmes
    . . . now that I no longer use Outlook :-(
    Reply
    - Steve Krause
      Really? What’s your primary email client now? Let me guess… Web browser?
      Reply
      - Richard Holmes
        Now that I’m no longer “corporate” I don’t need such a monster, albeit powerful, mail app, so I went to Outlook Express.
john
It read my mind just now :)
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Paul Hughes
We are all on Win 7 and Office 2013 and this feature will not work. We’ve even tried deliberately sending emails with just “attached, attachment…” etc to try and provoke it!
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- Steve Krause
  Hi Paul – And even after following this guide and rebooting, you’re having the issue on multiple systems?
  Reply
Richard Holmes
If you are using Outlook as your mail app, it should work.
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Rodrigo
Is there any way to add more words that will trigger the reminder?
Reply