How to keep attachments when replying in Outlook?

Author: Kelly Last Modified: 2025-02-25

In Microsoft Outlook, when you forward an email, the original attachments remain intact. However, when you reply to an email, Outlook automatically removes all attachments, assuming they are unnecessary in the conversation. This can be frustrating and inefficient, especially when you need to reference important files, resend documents, or keep attachments for better context. Fortunately, there are several ways to ensure attachments remain included when replying in Outlook, whether you prefer a manual, one-click, or automated solution:

Reply with Attachments by Manually Copying and Pasting (Basic & Tedious)

One-Click Reply with Attachments Using Kutools for Outlook 👍 (Fast & Effortless)

Reply with Attachments Automatically Using VBA (Technical & Requires Setup)

Reply with Attachments by Manually Copying and Pasting

You can manually copy the attachments from an email and paste them into the reply message before sending it.

1. Open Outlook, select the email you want to reply to, and preview it in the Reading Pane or open it in a separate window.

2. Click on any of the attachments, then click Select All > Copy under the Attachments tab.

the screenshot of step about replying with attachments by manually copying and pasting 1

3. Click the Reply button to open a reply window.

the screenshot of step about replying with attachments by manually copying and pasting 2

4. In the reply message, click anywhere in the message body and press Ctrl + V or click Paste on the Message tab to insert the copied attachments.

the screenshot of step about replying with attachments by manually copying and pasting 3

5. Compose your reply, review the attachments, and click Send.

Limitations:

Manual and repetitive: Not ideal for frequent use.
Time-consuming: Requires extra steps each time.
Prone to errors: You may forget to copy and paste the attachments.

📂 Effortlessly Save Attachments from Multiple Emails

Tired of saving attachments one email at a time in Outlook? Streamline your workflow with Kutools for Outlook! The powerful Save All (Attachments) feature lets you save attachments from multiple emails or entire folders in just a few clicks. Say goodbye to tedious manual processes and take control of your inbox effortlessly.

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One-Click Reply with Attachments Using Kutools for Outlook 👍

For a quick and effortless way to reply with attachments, you can use Kutools for Outlook. The Reply with Original Attachment feature allows you to reply while keeping the original attachments with just one click.

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Select the email that contains the attachments you need to keep. Then click Kutools > Reply with Original Attachment or Reply All with Original Attachment.

the screenshot of the Reply with Original Attachment or Reply All with Original Attachment button

That's it! The reply message will automatically include all attachments from the original email. Simply compose your message and click Send.

the screenshot of keeping attchments in replying email using Kutools for Outlook

Why Use Kutools for Outlook?

✅ Saves Time: No need to manually copy and paste attachments.
✅ One-Click Solution: Instantly replies with attachments.
✅ User-Friendly: Easy to use with no technical skills required.

Note: To apply the Reply with Original Attachment utility of Kutools for Outlook, firstly, you should download and install Kutools for Outlook.

Reply with Attachments Automatically Using VBA

For users comfortable with VBA scripting, this method automates the process of replying with attachments. However, it requires enabling macros in Outlook and manually adding the script.

💡 Important Note: Before running VBA macros, you need to enable macros in Outlook.

Step 1: Open the VBA editor

1. Select the email message you want to reply to.

2. Press Alt + F11 to open the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window.

3. In the left panel, expand Project1 > Microsoft Outlook Objects. Double-click ThisOutlookSession to open it.

the screenshot of the ThisOutlookSession option

Step 2: Insert the VBA code

Copy and paste the following VBA code into the ThisOutlookSession window:

Sub RunReplyWithAttachments()
'Update by Extendoffice 20250224
    Dim xReplyItem As Outlook.MailItem
    Dim xItem As Object
    On Error Resume Next
    Set xItem = GetCurrentItem()
    If xItem Is Nothing Then Exit Sub
    Set xReplyItem = xItem.Reply
    CopyAttachments xItem, xReplyItem
    xReplyItem.Display
    Set xReplyItem = Nothing
    Set xItem = Nothing
End Sub

Sub RunReplyAllWithAttachments()
    Dim xReplyAllItem As Outlook.MailItem
    Dim xItem As Object
    Set xItem = GetCurrentItem()
    If xItem Is Nothing Then Exit Sub
    Set xReplyAllItem = xItem.ReplyAll
    CopyAttachments xItem, xReplyAllItem
    xReplyAllItem.Display
    Set xReplyAllItem = Nothing
    Set xItem = Nothing
End Sub

Function GetCurrentItem() As Object
    On Error Resume Next
    Select Case TypeName(Application.ActiveWindow)
        Case "Explorer"
            Set GetCurrentItem = Application.ActiveExplorer.Selection.Item(1)
        Case "Inspector"
            Set GetCurrentItem = Application.ActiveInspector.CurrentItem
    End Select
End Function

Sub CopyAttachments(SourceItem As MailItem, TargetItem As MailItem)
    Dim xFilePath As String
    Dim xAttachment As Attachment
    Dim xFSO As Object
    Dim xTmpFolder As Object
    Dim xFldPath As String
    Set xFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
    Set xTmpFolder = xFSO.GetSpecialFolder(2)
    xFldPath = xTmpFolder.Path & "\"
    For Each xAttachment In SourceItem.Attachments
        If IsEmbeddedAttachment(xAttachment) = False Then
            xFilePath = xFldPath & xAttachment.Filename
            xAttachment.SaveAsFile xFilePath
            TargetItem.Attachments.Add xFilePath, , , xAttachment.DisplayName
            xFSO.DeleteFile xFilePath
        End If
    Next
    Set xFSO = Nothing
    Set xTmpFolder = Nothing
End Sub

Function IsEmbeddedAttachment(Attach As Attachment)
    Dim xAttParent As Object
    Dim xCID As String, xID As String
    Dim xHTML As String
    On Error Resume Next
    Set xAttParent = Attach.Parent
    xCID = Attach.PropertyAccessor.GetProperty("http://schemas.microsoft.com/mapi/proptag/0x3712001F")
    If xCID <> "" Then
        xHTML = xAttParent.HTMLBody
        xID = "cid:" & xCID
        If InStr(xHTML, xID) > 0 Then
            IsEmbeddedAttachment = True
        Else
            IsEmbeddedAttachment = False
        End If
    End If
End Function

Step 3: Run the VBA macro

1. Press F5 or click the Run button to execute the macro.

2. In the Macros dialog box, select ThisOutlookSession.RunReplyAllWithAttachments to reply to all or select ThisOutlookSession.RunReplyWithAttachments to reply to one recipient. Click Run.

the screenshot of the Macros dialog box

Result

The reply window will open with all original attachments included. Simply compose your message and click Send.

Pros and Cons of the VBA Method:

✅ Automated: No need to manually copy and paste attachments.
❌ Requires VBA Knowledge : May not be beginner-friendly.
❌ Macros are disabled by default : You must manually enable them.

Conclusion: Which Method Should You Choose?

Here’s a comparison of the three methods to help you decide which one suits your needs best:

Method	Best For	Ease of Use	Efficiency
Manual Copy-Paste	Occasional use	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐
Kutools for Outlook	Everyday use, non-tech users	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
VBA Macro	Automation lovers, advanced users	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐

For most users, Kutools for Outlook is the best option since it is the fastest and easiest way to reply with attachments in Outlook. Now, you can easily reply with attachments in Outlook using the method that best suits your workflow! 🚀