How to Delete Attachments in Gmail by Keeping Emails
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we will explain how to delete attachments in Gmail with and without deleting the original email. If you are looking for a manual solution to remove attachment files by keeping your emails, your efforts are futile. The only viable approach is via a professional method.
Can I delete attachments from sent emails in Gmail?
If you have sent an email with an attachment and you want to delete its attachment file, it is not possible by any technique. You can only undo the email sending within a few seconds. Once the email reaches the recipient, the recipient’s copy cannot be modified. However, you can forward emails without attachments in Gmail.
We will describe both manual and professional methods subsequently. But first, let us explore some reasons why you should eliminate your email attachments from your Gmail mailbox.
Is It Worth to Delete Attachments in Gmail?
Email attachments are the additional files attached to emails. It contains important information. But sometimes, the email attachment creates unnecessary clutter in your mailbox and occupies additional space. Let us explore some more reasons for deleting Gmail emails.
- Deleting email attachments frees up server storage space. So, you will have more storage available for new emails.
- An email attachment may contain malicious programs that can delete or leak your important information.
- When you keep your emails in a separate folder, it becomes easy to manage and share.
- Sometimes, you cannot download attachments from Gmail. In this case, you will be required to delete the attachment file as it takes up unnecessary server storage space.
These are a few prominent reasons that lead users to delete attachments in Gmail.
How to Remove Gmail Attachments Manually?
There is no manual method available for deleting attachments in Gmail without deleting emails. You need to delete Gmail emails associated with the attachments. The DIY method we suggest below is easy to perform. First, you need to check how much storage space you have left. After that, follow the below procedure.
- Login to your Gmail email account. Click on the Gear icon and select the See All Settings
- After that, switch to Accounts and Import Scroll down and check the remaining storage space.
- Return to the Gmail mailbox. In the search bar of your mailbox, type “has:attachment”.

- You can also specify the size of the email attachment like “has:attachment larger:25”.
- After the emails appear, tick all the desired emails and press the Delete
- Now, all the selected emails with attachments have been moved to the trash folder. They will be permanently deleted automatically after 30 days.
- If required, you can permanently delete these emails.
It is the complete manual procedure to delete attachment files from your Gmail mailbox. Although this approach is quite effective, you cannot remove attachments from Gmail without deleting emails. With a professional Gmail backup utility, you can migrate or back up your Gmail emails without email attachments.
Also Read: How to Resolve Gmail Loading Problem?
Professional Solution to Delete Attachments in Gmail Without Deleting Emails
DRS Gmail Backup Tool is the highly recommended solution to back up your Gmail mailbox. With this application, you can easily download your Gmail emails without the attachment files. Additionally, you can store the attachments in a separate folder without altering the original data integrity. After restoring these emails, you will have successfully deleted the attachment files from your Gmail account without deleting the original email.
Steps to Backup Gmail Emails
- Download the DRS Gmail Backup Tool and launch it.
- Provide the required Gmail login credentials and hit Sign in.
- After that, check the required mailbox folders and press Next.
- Choose the destination file format or email client as per your requirement.
- Tick the Migrate or Backup Emails without attachment files option.
- Select the remaining migration options and click on the Next button.
- Press the Save Path button and click on the Download button.
Key Features of the Gmail Backup Tool
- It enables you to migrate your Gmail emails, Contacts, Calendars, Drives, and Photos.
- You can remove attachments in Gmail when replying to an email without disturbing the original email content.
- The application allows you to save your Gmail emails locally into various file formats like PST, EML, MSG, MBOX, PDF, CSV, etc.
- You can also migrate your Gmail emails to Office 365, AOL, Yahoo Mail, iCloud, and many other email providers.
- Exclude email attachments while migrating your Gmail mailbox or Save them in a separate folder.
- Date filtering option to backup Gmail emails of a particular date range.
Conclusion
The above article served solutions to the query on how to delete attachments in Gmail with and without deleting original emails. There is no manual approach available for deleting attachment files without deleting the associated email. If you want to only remove email attachments by keeping your emails, we recommend you use the professional Gmail Backup Tool to download the Gmail mailbox without email attachments and then import it back to your Gmail email account.
About The Author:
Shivam is a digital marketer and technical content writer at DRS Solution®, specializing in topics like databases, email recovery, and migration solutions. He enjoys researching and crafting content that assists database administrators, businesses, and beginners in resolving various issues related to MS SQL, MySQL, and Microsoft Exchange.