How do I add an attachment to my PDF document?

Open your PDF in Acrobat. Go to 'Edit' > 'Link'. Select 'Add attachments'. Choose the file you want to attach. The file is now part of your PDF.

What is the difference between adding a link and adding an attachment in a PDF?

Feature What it does Where the file lives. Add a Link Creates a clickable area to open another file or webpage. The linked file stays separate, often on your computer or the internet. Add an Attachment Embeds another file directly inside your PDF document. The attached file travels with the PDF, becoming part of it.

What kind of files can I attach to a PDF using Adobe Acrobat?

You can attach many types of files. Common examples include other PDFs, Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, images, and even videos. Acrobat lets you keep various related documents together in one place.

Consistent Conservation Attachment in Adobe Acrobat — How-to & AI prompts

AI prompts

1 way to ask · copy any one

CDecide — “help me choose”New hires understand conservation principles but don't attach photos to the master record.…+

New hires understand conservation principles but don't attach photos to the master record. Diagnose whether the barrier is tool friction, unclear ownership, or time pressure, and recommend the one policy or UI change that would convert this from occasional practice to routine for all staff.

when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed.

How to do it

the tool · the steps · what to avoid

1
Open your PDF in Adobe Acrobat.
2
Select Tools in the top menu.
3
Choose Protect or look for the attachment tool in the tools panel.
4
Click the paperclip icon or select the attachment tool from the secondary toolbar.
5
Click anywhere on the PDF page where you want the attachment icon to appear.
6
In the file dialog, browse to and select the file you want to embed, then click Open.
7
Choose an icon to represent the attachment and, optionally, enter a description.
8
Click OK to embed the file into the PDF.
Best practiceFor best compatibility, let recipients know that they may need to use Adobe Acrobat or Reader to extract embedded attachments, as some PDF viewers do not support this feature.
9
Save the PDF to retain the embedded attachment.

In the appWith the API

You can view and manage all embedded attachments by opening the Attachments pane in Acrobat.

This runs in the Acrobat app - there is no separate API for this task.

Glossary

words on this page

AttachmentA file that is added inside a PDF, so it travels with the PDF.ExampleThe email included an attachment of the full contract, which opened as a PDF.

SanitizeTo remove sensitive or private information from a document before sharing it.ExampleRemember to sanitize the document by redacting personal details before sharing it publicly.

PDFA common file type used to share documents that look the same everywhere.ExampleShe saved the brochure as a PDF so everyone would see the exact same layout and fonts.

The real tasks

the one, listed here

I want our new hires to consistently attach conservation photos and notes to the master record, but inertia and different tools are blocking adoption.

FAQ

about this task

Open your PDF in Acrobat.
Go to 'Edit' > 'Link'.
Select 'Add attachments'.
Choose the file you want to attach.
The file is now part of your PDF.

It is important to sanitize attachments because they become part of the PDF. If the attached file contains private or sensitive details, anyone who receives the PDF can see that information. Sanitizing helps protect your privacy and ensures only intended information is shared, preventing accidental data leaks.

Feature	What it does	Where the file lives
Add a Link	Creates a clickable area to open another file or webpage.	The linked file stays separate, often on your computer or the internet.
Add an Attachment	Embeds another file directly inside your PDF document.	The attached file travels with the PDF, becoming part of it.

If you attach a large video file, your PDF's size will become much bigger. This happens because the video file is stored directly inside the PDF. A larger PDF might take longer to send by email or upload, so consider if linking to the video is a better option.

You can attach many types of files.
Common examples include other PDFs, Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, images, and even videos.
Acrobat lets you keep various related documents together in one place.

Consistent Conservation Attachment

When to use it

AI prompts

How to do it

Glossary

The real tasks

Who does this

FAQ

Sources

Adobe help