How to Put a PDF in the Body of an Email
Portable Document Format (PDF) files allow users to create secure, professional documents that may include text, pictures, video and other graphics. The process for including PDF information in the body of an email varies depending upon the platform you use as well as the type of information you want to copy.
Computer users can copy details from PDF files by using the Adobe Reader, available for free. Developers may use the PDF format to protect information against copying, so first see if you are allowed to copy the information. Right-click anywhere on the PDF document and select "Document Properties." Click the "Security" tab at the top to see what permissions are granted or blocked, such as printing. It must say "Allowed" next to "Content Copying."
Partial Document with Windows
You can copy either text or images from a PDF file in Windows. Open the PDF document and then right-click anywhere on the page. Choose “Select Tool” from the menu that appears. Click and drag across the text you want to copy or click anywhere on the image you want. Right-click on the selected area and choose “Copy” or “Copy Image.” Open the email and paste by holding down the "Control" key and then “V,” or right-click and select “Paste” from the menu.
Entire Document with Windows
If you simply drag and copy the entire file, the formatting may not transfer when you paste into your email. The best way to copy an entire PDF file on a computer running Windows is to copy and paste using the clipboard. Open the PDF file in the Adobe Acrobat Reader. Click on “Edit” from the menu along the top and select “Copy File to Clipboard.” Open the email you want to send and paste the file by holding down the "Control" key and then “V,” or right-click and select “Paste” from the menu.
Mac computers may not have the clipboard Windows machines do, so the process differs slightly using the Adobe Reader. After opening the file in the reader, click to open the “Edit” menu and select “Take a Snapshot.” When a checkmark appears next to the “Take a Snapshot” option, point your cursor at one corner of the portion of the PDF file you want to copy and drag until the section is all included within the rectangle. Open the mail document and paste your selection using “Control” and “V” or “Edit” and “Paste.”
Kristie Sweet has been writing professionally since 1982, most recently publishing for various websites on topics like health and wellness, and education. She holds a Master of Arts in English from the University of Northern Colorado.