In the digital age, sharing images through instant messaging platforms like WhatsApp has become routine. However, you may need to transfer these photos to a more traditional channel, such as email, perhaps for archive reasons, to share them with people who do not use WhatsApp, or to integrate them into specific documents. If you are in this situation and are not entirely familiar with the necessary steps, don't worry: this complete guide is designed to simplify the process.
We will explore all available methodologies to send images from WhatsApp to your email box, or anyone else's, acting either from mobile devices (Android and iPhone smartphones) or from computers (via desktop client or WhatsApp Web). We will guide you step by step through intuitive procedures, demonstrating that, with the right indications, this operation is really within reach of everyone.
Send Photos from WhatsApp to Email via Android Smartphone
Android users have different options to send photos from WhatsApp to email, both for single and multiple images. That's how to proceed.
Send a Single Photos from WhatsApp
- Open WhatsApp: Unlock your smartphone and start the WhatsApp application (the green icon with the comic).
- Login to Chat: On the main screen of the app, select the tab Chat up and locate the conversation from which you want to extract the photo.
- Find the Image: Browse the chat until you find the desired photo. If the chat is very long and rich in content, you can easily search by tapping the contact or group name at the top of the conversation screen, then selecting the option Media, links and documents. This will only show you multimedia content.
- Share the picture: Once you find the image, tap it to open it. Next, locate and tap the icon with the three vertical dots, usually located at the top right. From the menu that appears, choose the option Share.
- Choose the Email App: A sharing menu will open with different apps. Select the email application icon you use on your device (eg, Gmail, Outlook, etc.).
- Compose and Send the email: The email app will open with the photo already attached. Enter the recipient’s email address in the field A. The camp Subject may be pre-compiled (for example, “Photo by [your nickname on WhatsApp]”), but you can change it to your liking. Write the message body in the dedicated space and finally tap the button to send the email.
Send More Photos from WhatsApp (Android)
If you need to send multiple images simultaneously, the direct procedure from WhatsApp to select multiple items from a chat is not immediately available for sending via email. However, you can bypass this limitation using your smartphone gallery or a file manager.
Method 1: Through the Smartphone Gallery (if the option is active)
This method works if you have enabled automatic saving of WhatsApp media in the phone gallery. To check or activate this option:
- Open WhatsApp, tap three vertical dots top right on the main screen.
- Select Settings, then Chat.
- Make sure the option Media visibility (or “Show media in the gallery”) is active.
If the option is active, proceed as follows:
- Access the Gallery: Open the app Gallery or Photos of your smartphone (often it is in the application drawer).
- Locate WhatsApp Album: Search and open the album or folder called WhatsApp Images or simply WhatsApp.
- Select Photos: Prolong pressure on the first photo you want to send, then tap the previews of the other images you want to include to select them.
- Share and Send: Tap the sharing icon (often a symbol with three connected dots or an arrow coming out of a square). From the menu that opens, select the icon of your email app. As with the individual sending, fill out the fields of the email and send.
Method 2: Using a File Manager (if the option is disabled)
If the option “Medium visibility” is disabled or you prefer this approach:
- Open File Manager: Launch a file management app on your Android (e.g., “Google Files” or your phone’s default file manager).
- Navigate to WhatsApp Folder: Access the internal memory of the device and search for the folder WhatsApp, then Media, and finally WhatsApp Images. Here you will find all the photos received.
- Select and Share: Perform prolonged pressure on the first photo, then tap the other images to select them. Tap the share icon and choose your email app, then proceed with filling out and sending the email as described above.
Send Photos from WhatsApp to Email via iPhone
Also for iPhone users, the process of sending photos from WhatsApp to email is simple and provides options for individual and multiple attachments.
Send a Single Photos from WhatsApp
- Open WhatsApp: Unlock your iPhone and start the WhatsApp app.
- Login to Chat: At the bottom of the screen, tap the voice Chat and select the conversation of interest.
- Find the Image: Browse the chat to locate the photo. Alternatively, tap the contact/group name at the top, then select Media, links and documents, and finally the card Media to see only multimedia content.
- Share the picture: Once you find it, tap the photo to open it. Then, tap the sharing icon (the square with an arrow upwards), usually located at the bottom left. From the menu that appears, choose Share.
- Choose the Email App: Select the email app icon you use on your iPhone (for example, Apple Mail, Gmail).
- Compose and Send the email: The email app will open with the attached photo. Enter the address of the recipient in the field A and a descriptive object. Write the message body and tap the button or item to send the email.
Send More Photos from WhatsApp (iPhone)
To send more photos from iPhone, you can use the media section of the app or the photo roller, if the images are saved there.
Method 1: From the Media section of WhatsApp Chat
- Access the Media Section: Open WhatsApp, go to the desired chat and tap the contact/group name at the top. Select Media, links and documents and then the card Media.
- Select More Photos: Touch your voice Select top right. Now you can tap every photo you want to send to select it.
- Share and Send: After selecting the images, tap the sharing icon (pictured with arrow) on the bottom left. From the menu, choose the email app. Fill out the details of the email (destinator, object, body) and send.
Method 2: Using the iPhone Photo Roller (if the option is active)
This method is possible if you have enabled the automatic saving of WhatsApp photos in your iPhone photo roll. To verify it:
- Open WhatsApp, go up Settings (low right).
- Select Chat, so Save in the photo roller and make sure it's active.
If the option is active, proceed as follows:
- Open the Photos App: Launch the application Photos (the icon with white background and multicolor flower) from your iPhone.
- Locate WhatsApp Album: Scroll between albums until you find the one called WhatsApp.
- Select Images: Tap a single photo to open it or tap Select top right to choose multiple images at the same time by tapping their thumbnails.
- Share and Send: Tap the share button (square with arrow) to the bottom left. From the menu, choose the email app, fill out the required fields and send the email.
Send Photos from WhatsApp to Email via Computer
Sending photos from WhatsApp to email is just as feasible from your computer, whether you use WhatsApp desktop client or web version.
Using WhatsApp Desktop Client (for Windows and macOS)
WhatsApp’s desktop client provides more direct integration for sharing.
- Start the WhatsApp Client: Open the WhatsApp application on your computer (from Start menu on Windows or Launchpad on macOS). If it is not yet connected to your account, scan the QR code shown on the screen with your smartphone (from the section Settings > Connected devices > Connect a device of WhatsApp on the phone).
- Select Chat and Photos: In the chat list on the left, click on the conversation containing the photo you want to send. Locate the image within the chat.
- Share the picture:
- On Windows: Move the cursor over the photo; an arrow-shaped icon will appear down. Click on it and select the option Share from the context menu.
- On macOS: Click on the photo to enlarge it, then click on three points top right and select Share from the drop-down menu.
- Choose the Email Client: A window or menu will open with the available applications for sharing. Double-click the email client icon you configured on your computer (eg, Outlook, Windows Mail, MacOS Mail, Thunderbird).
- Compose and Send the email: The email client will open with the photo already attached. Enter the address of the recipient in the field A and a title for email in the field Subject. Write the message body and click the button to send the email.
Using WhatsApp Web
WhatsApp Web, while not offering a direct sharing function like the desktop client, still allows you to achieve the goal with an intermediate step.
- Login to WhatsApp Web: Open your favorite browser (e.g. Chrome, Firefox) and go to
web.whatsapp.com. Scan the QR code with your smartphone to connect your account if necessary. - Find and Download Photo: Click on the conversation that contains the photo. Locate the image and click on it to open it. Then, click on the icon of the down arrow (which indicates the download), located at the top right. If you want to download more photos from the media section, you can click on the top left tick of each selected image. The image will be saved in the default download folder of your browser.
- Open your Email Service: Launch your email client (e.g. Outlook, Mail) or access your Webmail service (e.g. Gmail, Outlook. com) through the browser.
- Compose a New Email: Click on the button to create a New message or New email.
- Attach the Photo: Search the icon of the graph slice (set of attachments) and click it. Navigate to the folder where you downloaded the photo from WhatsApp (usually the “Download” folder) and select the downloaded image or images.
- Fill and send: Enter the address of the recipient in the field A, an object and body of the message. Finally, click the button to send the email.
Final considerations and Useful Tips
Regardless of the method chosen, it is always good to verify that the email has been sent correctly and that the recipient has received it. Remember that the quality of photos sent via WhatsApp can be compressed; if you need to send high-resolution images, you may consider the option of sending them as documents within WhatsApp and then download them and attach them, if quality is an absolute priority.
With these detailed instructions, sending photos from WhatsApp via email will become a simple and fast operation, which you can safely run from any device.
