Email attachment facts for kids

An email attachment is a computer file that you send along with an email message. You can attach one or more files to an email. This is a simple way to share things like documents, pictures, or videos with others.

What is an Email Attachment?

When you send an email, you can also include other files with it. These extra files are called attachments. Imagine sending a letter, and you also put a photo or a drawing inside the envelope. The photo or drawing would be like an email attachment. It's a very common way to share digital information.

How Do Attachments Work?

In the early days, email could only send simple text messages. You couldn't send pictures or other files directly. People found clever ways to turn files into text, send them, and then turn them back into the original file.

Later, a special standard called MIME (which stands for Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) was created. This made sending attachments much easier and smoother. MIME helps email programs understand different types of files, like images, videos, or documents. It takes your file and prepares it so it can travel safely through the internet as part of an email.

Why Can't I Send Huge Files?

Even though email attachments are great, you might notice that you can't send very large files. This is because email systems have limits on how big an attachment can be.

Here are a few reasons why:

• Many email services set a maximum size for attachments. For example, some might only let you send files up to 25 megabytes (MB).
• When an email travels, it often passes through several computers called "mail servers." Each server needs to store the email temporarily. If the file is too big, it can slow down or even stop the server.
• The email service of the person you're sending to might also have its own size limits.

File Size and Encoding

It's important to know that when a file is attached to an email, it gets slightly bigger. This is because of the way it's prepared (or "encoded") for sending. For example, a 20 MB file might become about 27 MB when it's ready to be sent as an attachment. So, if an email service has a 25 MB limit, your 20 MB file might actually be too big! A 10 MB limit means your actual attachment files should be around 7 MB or less.

Staying Safe from Harmful Attachments

Email attachments can sometimes carry harmful software, like malware or viruses. These can damage your computer or steal your information. It's really important to be careful when you open attachments.

Here's some advice:

• Always be suspicious of unexpected emails with attachments.
• Do not open attachments from people you don't know.
• Even if an email seems to be from a friend or family member, be careful. Their email account might have been hacked, and a scammer could be sending you a harmful file.
• Many email services try to scan attachments for malware, but they can't catch everything, especially brand new threats. So, it's always best to be cautious yourself.

Risky File Types to Watch Out For

Some types of files are riskier than others when sent as attachments. Files that are computer programs (like those ending in `.exe` or `.zip` that contain programs) can be dangerous because they can run code on your computer. Email systems often block these types of files to protect you.

In the past, harmful computer worms like "ILOVEYOU" and "Anna Kournikova" spread quickly through email attachments. These incidents showed how important it is for email systems to have strong protections.

See also

In Spanish: Archivo adjunto para niños