Insert inline image in gmail

This entry is part 9 of 14 in the series gmail tricks

Gmail is one the coolest email client available. But it lacks an important feature. We can attach files but we are not able to add inline images in editor.

I will suggest a work around for this. But this is not much friendly moreover we need to carry some extra steps to attain inline imaging facility. We can exploit the rich text formatting of the gmail mail composing editor.

Steps to be carried out to attach an inline Image

(1) Upload image to some image hosting server like picasa, flickr or mobshare.

(2) Open the uploaded image in your web browser.

(3) Right click the mouse and click on the view image menu.

(4) Hit Ctrl-A then Ctrl-C. (This will copy the image to the clipboard)

(5) Open the compose gmail window.

(6) Make sure the rich text formatting is on in the gmail compose editor (Check out the red rounded part in the image above).

(7) Place your cursor into the place where your image need to appear.

(8) Hit Ctrl-V (This will paste the image into the editor).

Comments

  1. SAF says:

    Great relief man. I had to depend on Outlook express often, eventhough this is not upto it, happier than before to get this tip ;)

  2. Ronald Stoessell says:

    When I right click my mouse, I do not have a menu that gives me a “view image” option. Can you help me.

    Ron Stoessell

  3. Sanil S says:

    Which browser are you using IE or Mozilla? Are you getting a menu which contain a menu item “show picture” ?

    If this is not working please select the image by dragging the mouse pointer on the top of image and then copy the image.

  4. Darren says:

    Excellent workaround… thanks! It’s amazing that Google hasn’t enabled a simple “insert image” button in the toolbar… I suppose that would be too easy. ;)

  5. darren says:

    here’s an easier way – iClippy.com – allows you to copy-n-paste images directly into your webmail without any change in behavior.

  6. bobby says:

    Wow, Great trick, I finally can spice up my gmails with some pics!

  7. Alyona says:

    Thank you SOOOOO much!!! A stubborn professor wouldn’t acknowledge the receipt of my exam paper without a photo INSERTED in the e-mail! I don’t know what the problem was with receiving a 24kb attachment… anyway, i spent about two hours trying to find out HOW to insert images in gmail, and finally! – i found your post!!! You managed to explain it so clearly, that it immediately seemed a piece of cake! which it is, but not so many people can find a way to do it like you did!
    And, yes, I agree, it’s so weird that Google hasn’t thought about it!

  8. Shubham says:

    This was of real real help to me….I had explored tons of options like iclippy, html editors etc etc, but this is the easiest and most convenient one.

    Cheers

    Shubham

  9. zwatcher says:

    easier way,
    1. upload to image hosting site
    2. open gmail in one window and your image in a second window (not tabs, two separate windows)
    3. drag and drop your image from it’s window into the gmail compose text field window.
    4. send your email.

  10. yehuimei says:

    Thanks so much! This was really helpful. :)

  11. Net says:

    I had problems with copying (ctrl-c) and pasting (ctrl-v) an image to Gmail (even though my rich text formatting is turned on). I kept getting a ‘broken image’ icon. I was practically at my wits end when all the sites recommended that this was the best way of inserting inline images.

    But Zwatcher’s instructions (drag n drop) was excellent! Thanks Zwatcher.

  12. SriMathe says:

    Does anyone know where I can find free online grant applications?

  13. tantantara says:

    There’s a simpler way…you can now drag and drop images from another tab in your browser into a gmail message!
    1. Start to compose a message in gmail.
    2. Follow Sanil’s instructions, steps 1 & 2, & 3 if necessary, to display the image you want to use in your browser, in another tab or window.
    3. Click and hold with the left mouse button, on the image you want to insert, and drag it onto the gmail tab (or window); your browser (works with Firefox) will switch from the page with the image to the gmail tab (or window)
    4. Continue to drag the image to where you want to appear in your message, and then release the mouse button.

    I am not sure if you need to be using google labs for this to work.

    BTW
    When inserting an image using the instructions posted by Sanil (quoted below), some people suggest that you need to use the hyperlink button to link the image to it’s web address. I’m not sure whether this is absolutely necessary; ~ I’ve ended up with two copies of the image by doing this on some attempts.
    The advice given is that you copy the web address of the image you are inserting from your browser’s address bar, click the hyperlink button in your gmail message and paste the url for the image into the box that appears.

    (1) Upload image to some image hosting server like picasa, flickr or mobshare.

    (2) Open the uploaded image in your web browser.

    (3) Right click the mouse and click on the view image menu.

    (4) Hit Ctrl-A then Ctrl-C. (This will copy the image to the clipboard)

    (5) Open the compose gmail window.

    (6) Make sure the rich text formatting is on in the gmail compose editor (Check out the red rounded part in the image above).

    (7) Place your cursor into the place where your image need to appear.

    (8) Hit Ctrl-V (This will paste the image into the editor).

  14. open the email client that you don’t use much anymore like outlook, paste the image in outlook, sent to your gmail, click forward and send to whoever you want. It is pretty fast and formated the way you want it.

  15. Applebees says:

    I must say that you provide genuine, quality information. Thanks for this!

    BTW, dpn’t you think your blog needs a better wordpress template?

  16. Sanil S says:

    I will develop with a professional, once I get some revenue from this site for a professional to design.

  17. It bothers me to no end that this feature is still not integrated into Gmail, let alone other webmail clients. I watched my girlfriend struggle tonite trying to send an email that referenced multiple photographs. Since insertion inline wasn’t an option, she had to rename all of the images, then reference each image within the email, then attach them.

    Webmail services are a step up from Outlook Express in every way, except in this. In OE, you could drag and drop the images in the email, comment on them easily, and click send.

    Even if drag-and-drop isn’t doable from an interface standpoint, it is completely and utterly inexcusable that these services have ignored this feature for so long.

    Why do we always take 1 step forward and 2 steps back when it comes to features and ease of use?

  18. Frenette says:

    In That Respect there is obviously a great deal to know about this. I remember you made some good points in Features also.

  19. Antique Ring says:

    I usually do not comment on blog posts but I found this quite interesting, so here goes. Thanks! Regards, P.

  20. PcTechPetru says:

    SOlVED

    to insert “inline” pictures in G-mail, go to “Settings/Labs/Inserting Images and check Enable.
    Then , when you compose a new message, press Attach, and in the menu will notice a new icon,of a picture. Use this button to browse.

    After inserting the inline picture in the body of the gmail you can resize it by dragging its side points.

    Cheers ! PcTechPetru

  21. applegr says:

    Such a usefule blog

  22. Nikhil says:

    This is pretty easy. When you forward, the inline attachments will not be sent. To solve this problem. Goto Settings and change the text encoding to : Default. You will be able to forward an inline image as it is to your friends.

    ~Nik

  23. pedrina says:

    really worked!!! thanks!

  24. BlogPing says:

    Hey yo, I’m really happy for ya and am gonna let you finish but you didn’t mention PingNinja, a new blog ping utility thats one of the fastest ways to get indexed by Google (for free)?

  25. Roberto says:

    This is the EASIEST way, go to Gmail Settings, then Labs and enable the Inserting images feature. This will add an Insert Image icon in the editor line. You can insert images in your local pc or any URL.

    Enjoy!

    Roberto Carballa

  26. Amy says:

    You can do the following:
    Go to Settings -> Labs.
    Enable inset images.

    Gmail will restart.
    On compose mail screen (rich text), you will find a new insert image option

  27. nouras says:

    Its Great , Thanku Very Much

  28. Bub says:

    PcTechPetru’s solution is the only thing that worked for me! Thanks!

  29. burntjustrite says:

    From the original post to the more recent, redundant responses, Gmail seems to have gone backwards. Sanil’s original steps placed an image ON THE CLIPBOARD and used Ctrl-V to insert the image directly into the rich-text-formatted email.

    Why are the later posters so excited that Gmail now requires you to store the image on a hard disk (yours or a web server’s) before you can insert it.

    And when and why did Google REMOVE the functionality that Sanil described?

  30. whitedesign says:

    I need some help! I Enabled my insert images on gmail, and the pictured showed up wonderfully. But after I sent it, the pic won’t show up in the receivers email. Any suggestions…

  31. Seasons says:

    Best you could change the post name Insert inline image in gmail | I am a Techie to something more catching for your webpage you create. I loved the post nevertheless.

  32. Sanil S says:

    Same problem for everyone?

  33. Mayank says:

    thanks a lot

  34. Hardik says:

    Thank You Buddy

  35. deepak says:

    Instead Enable ‘Inserting images’ option. To do so login to your gmail account and click on settings and then click on Labs and look for ‘Inserting images’ and select Enable radio button and your done. Go to Compose and you will now find an option to insert images.

  36. jack john says:

    Instead Enable ‘Inserting images’ option. To do so login to your gmail account and click on settings and then click on Labs and look for ‘Inserting images’ and select Enable radio button and your done. Go to Compose and you will now find an option to insert images

  37. Shiva says:

    Thanks PcTechPetru. It is really working

  38. suresh subbiah says:

    Hi, it was very useful tip.

  39. Enkay says:

    This is defunct now, there is a Google Labs feature.

  40. I am always thought about this, thanks for posting.

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  1. [...] recently overcomes the hurdles adding inline images while composing email. I have explained some workaround sometime back, moreover I am still getting lot of traffic to the post. I think gmail recognized the [...]

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