How can I set my outlook to attach as a copy and not a hyperlink?

Question

How can I set my outlook to attach as a copy and not a hyperlink?

Kim Roberts 0

My outlook will not allow me to insert a copy of a file only a hyperlink. How can I change that?

Locked Question. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

3 answers

Answer 1

Dear @Kim Roberts,

Thank you for your inquiry regarding how to attach files as copies rather than hyperlinks in Outlook.

To ensure that your attachments are sent as actual files (not cloud links), please follow the steps below based on your Outlook version:

Classic Outlook for Windows

Open Outlook and go to File → Options.
Select the General tab.
Scroll to the Attachment Options section.
Under “For files I choose from OneDrive or SharePoint,” select “Always attach them as copies.”
Click OK to save your changes.

This will ensure that files from OneDrive or SharePoint are attached as actual copies by default.

New Outlook for Windows

Please note that the new Outlook interface currently does not support setting a default to attach files as copies. You must manually select “Attach as copy” from the drop-down each time you insert a cloud file.

Microsoft is aware of this limitation and may introduce a permanent setting in future updates.

I hope this information is useful. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. Thank you for your kindness and understanding.

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment”.

User's image

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread

Sommers-Flanagan, John 0 Reputation points

2026-09-01T19:28:10.2733333+00:00

This is just not accurate. There was no "general" tab and the "attachment" tab didn't include any options for really attaching a file and not just inserting a link. But I don't always want the link version. It's fine for working within my institution; not so much for sending little files to people outside my institution.
Hornblower409 16,335 Reputation points

2026-09-03T05:19:09.72+00:00

I understand that you have an issue similar to the one discussed in this thread. But you will probably not get any help for your issue by adding to an old post.

I would suggest that you start a new thread using the "Ask a question" button at the top of this page to create a new Question and include the details for your specific problem and what steps you have already tried to fix it.

This provides much higher visibility to your issue than adding on to an existing post, which is only seen by people who are already following this question.

(You can put the link for this page in your new Question for reference)

Answer 2

Have a nice day, @Kim Roberts!

I hope this message finds you well.

This is my second follow-up to check whether your issue has been resolved. I truly want to ensure your experience is as smooth as possible. If your problem is still ongoing or if you have faced any new difficulties, please share more details about the current steps you are stuck on. I am here and happy to provide further help whenever you need it.

While waiting for your response, I will continue tracking other customer questions on the forum to ensure everyone receives timely support. If you have additional questions, please feel free to tag my name in your reply so I can assist you promptly and more personally.

Looking forward to hearing from you soon.

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment”.

User's image

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

Answer 3

Have a great day, @Kim Roberts! I hope you're doing well.

I'm contacted to follow up on the issue you reported earlier about issues with Outlook. It's been a while since we've heard from you, and I'd like to check if the issue has been resolved or if you're still having difficulties.

Please let us know as soon as possible so that we can provide further assistance if needed. Thank you for your time and cooperation.

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment”.

User's image

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.