How to Use Google Docs with Outlook Email (Attach)

Many of us use different services for our daily work. A common situation is when we want to use Google Docs with an Outlook email. This used to be a bit tricky, but now it’s easier because Google and Microsoft are working together. This article will help you connect Google Docs with your Outlook email. This means you can add Google Docs to your Outlook emails and open them straight from the Outlook app or Outlook.com.

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Accessing Google Docs with Outlook app in Windows or Mac

To use and add Google Docs directly in the Outlook app on Windows or Mac, you’ll need a tool called “Google Drive for Desktop“. This app connects your Google Drive, which includes Google Docs, to your computer. This lets you reach and handle your Google Drive files right from your PC.

When you link it with Outlook, adding Google Docs to emails becomes a breeze, just like attaching files from your computer. This is great because it mixes the handiness of cloud storage with the comfort of your desktop, making it simpler to send documents through email.

Steps to attach Google Docs files to an email in Outlook

1. First up, install Google Drive for Desktop. It’s a free app from Google for both Windows and Mac. This app lets you reach your Google Drive files from Windows without needing to store them all on your computer. You can also keep some files offline if you want.
2. After you download it, run the installer to start setting it up. Just follow the steps on the screen to finish putting Google Drive for Desktop on your computer.
3. Open Outlook and hit the “New Email” button to get the email window ready.
4. In the Outlook top bar, click on “Attach File” and choose “Browse This PC…“.
5. Then, go to “Google Drive“, which you’ll see in File Explorer or under “This PC”, after installing Google Drive for Desktop.
6. Pick the file you want to send and click “Open“.
7. The file will now be attached to your email, looking just like any other attachment, without showing it came through Google Drive.

Linked issue: Send to Mail Recipient Not Working in Windows 11/10 Outlook

Attaching Google Docs to Outlook emails on Outlook.com

For those who like using Outlook.com, the web version of Microsoft Outlook, adding Google Docs to emails is straightforward too. This uses the cloud storage features of Outlook.com, letting you directly add files from Google Drive.

Setting up Google Drive in Outlook.com

1. Head to Outlook.com and sign into your account. Start a new email or reply to one.
2. Hit the “Attach” button in your email window and pick “Browse cloud locations”. Sometimes, you might see “OneDrive” instead – that’s okay, you can still add an account next.
3. Click “+ Add an account” and then on the Google Drive box. Choose the Google account with the docs you want.
4. After you add your account, Google Drive will show up among your cloud locations. Now you can get to all your Google Drive files.

Attaching and sending the document

5. You’ll have to decide whether to share the file itself or a link to it on Google Drive. For files up to 34MB, go for “Attach as a copy“.
6. The file will then attach to your email just like any other, not showing it’s from Google Drive.
7. Once the file is attached, just send your email. The person getting it will see the attachment like any other, not knowing it’s from Google Drive.

This makes it super easy to mix Google Drive with Outlook.com, so you can add Google Docs to emails without hassle.

Pro tip: How to Get Outlook to Open Links in Chrome on Windows 11/10

Traditional methods for using Google Docs with Outlook email

When the newer ways don’t work or aren’t an option, you can stick to the old-school methods.

Manually attaching Google Docs to an email

The simplest method is to download the Google Doc in a format you like (like .docx or PDF) and then attach it to an email in Outlook. This way works with Outlook and other email services too. Here’s what to do:

1. Go to Google Docs.
2. Pick your document.
3. Download it in the format you prefer.
4. Attach it to your email in Outlook by going to the attachments section.

Direct sharing from Google Docs

You can also send a Google Doc right through email. Just open the document in Google Docs or Drive, hit the “Share” icon, and type in the email addresses of the people you want to share with. They’ll get a link to the document in their email.

If you want, you can change the document’s sharing settings to ‘anyone with the link can view’, and then send this link through email. This lets you decide what others can do with the document (like view, comment, or edit).

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Summing things up

Mixing Google Docs with Microsoft Outlook, whether on the desktop app or Outlook.com, makes it easy to add documents. By following the steps in this guide, you can quickly add Google Docs to your emails and get to them right from Outlook.

This combo brings together the best of both worlds—Google’s handy document making and Microsoft’s strong email handling. Whether you’re at the office or working from somewhere else, this combination makes sure your important documents are just a few clicks away, ready for sharing and working together on.