Need to download a report or document, but you can’t download an attachment from Gmail? An email has been one of the primary modes of communication for businesses, schools, and families. Via email, we can share short documents, follow up on offers and even promote our businesses. Gmail is one of the most commonly used email services globally. It is a platform with advanced features developed by Google that promotes convenience and reliability.
While Gmail works 99% of the time, that doesn’t mean it’s flawless and unexpected problems can occur at some point. One of the most common issues that users face on Gmail is attachments that refuse to download.
This can be a problem, especially if you need to get a document out of your Gmail account.
Many times this problem is caused by server-related issues. However, it can also be caused by a slow network connection, firewalls, third-party software, or improper device configuration.
Today, we’re going to show you what to do if you can’t download attachments from your Gmail account.
Let’s get started!
Check Gmail Server
Before you change your device settings, we recommend checking Gmail’s servers if you can’t download attachments. Since the files, you want to download are coming from the server, they must be working properly. If the platform is currently closed, there is nothing you can do except waiting.
On the other hand, if Gmail’s servers are up and running, then you can go to the below-mentioned solution to start troubleshooting the problem.
Restart Your Device
One of the easiest ways to fix most of the problems on any platform is to restart your device. This should clear the cache of your system and be finished with Temporary bugs and glitches that can happen during use.
For Windows users, to reboot your system follow the steps below:
1 First open the Start menu on your taskbar.
2 Next, click on the Power icon in order to access the Power Options tab.
3 Lastly, select Restart to reboot your device.
If you’re using a Mac computer, here’s how you can force restart it:
1 On your Home screen, access the Apple menu.
2 After that select the Restart option.
3 Finally, on the dialog box confirm your action by clicking on the Restart button.
After you restart your device, go back to Gmail and see if you can download the attachment.
Use a Different Email Client
In addition to Gmail’s integrated website, you can also access your Gmail account using third-party clients. For example, Windows and macOS both offer
A dedicated mail app you can use to view emails from your email address. If you can’t download the attachment from the Gmail website, try using
the dedicated Mail app on your Windows or Mac PC.
Close Gmail Labs
If you don’t want to use third-party email clients, you can try to turn off Gmail Labs. It’s a beta feature on Gmail, which allows you to access
Features that are not yet released. However, they are still under development and may cause problems with your account.
In order to avoid problems, we suggest turning off Gmail Labs on your account. Here’s what you’ve got to do:
1 First, click the gear icon in the top right corner of your page and choose View all settings.
2 Now, go to the Advanced tab.
3 Finally, disable all the features under it.
Go back to your feed and check if you can download attachments from emails now.
Check Your Network Connection
When downloading a file over the internet, you’ll need a stable connection to avoid problems.If you can’t download attachments from Gmail, then this could indicate that your network is slow or unstable. If the result indicates there is a problem with your network, restart your modem to re-establish the connection with your service provider. Unplug your router from the outlet and wait about 5 to 10 seconds before plugging it back in. Once done, do another test to check if that solves the problem. If you are not able to contact your ISP and ask them to fix the issue.