How do I add an attachment to a PDF in Adobe Acrobat?

First, open your PDF in Acrobat. Go to the 'Edit' menu. Select 'Link' and then choose the option to add an attachment. Browse and select the file you want to attach from your computer. The file will then be embedded within your PDF.

Attach Field Sketch in Adobe Acrobat — How-to & AI prompts

AI prompts

2 ways to ask · copy any one

AExecute — “help me do it”Attach the scanned field sketch to the drawing set so site measurements are preserved: add the…+

Attach the scanned field sketch to the drawing set so site measurements are preserved: add the JPEG scan as an attachment to Sheet [sheet=A-101], name it '[filename=Field Sketch 2026-07-14 - Site Measurements]', and save the drawing set with the attachment included.

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

BImprove — “do it better”Before I file the sketch with the issued set, make it clear to the estimator and site…+

Before I file the sketch with the issued set, make it clear to the estimator and site supervisor why it matters: annotate the scan with the measured dimensions in red, add a two‑line note on A‑101 explaining who took the measurements and when, and embed the scan as an attached file and an inline page so no one misses it.

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.

Who does this

3 roles

Legal AssistantProject ManagerTechnical Writer

FAQ

about this task

First, open your PDF in Acrobat.
Go to the 'Edit' menu.
Select 'Link' and then choose the option to add an attachment.
Browse and select the file you want to attach from your computer. The file will then be embedded within your PDF.

Adding a link creates a clickable area in your PDF that points to an external website or another part of the document. The linked content is not part of the PDF itself. Attaching a file, however, embeds the entire file directly into the PDF. This means the attached file travels with the PDF, even if it's moved or shared offline, making it a self-contained package. Links require the target to be accessible, while attachments are always available.

It is important to sanitize a PDF after attaching sensitive files because attachments become part of the PDF. The PDF might contain hidden data like author information, comments, or even previous versions. Sanitizing removes this hidden sensitive data, ensuring that only the intended information is shared when you send the PDF to others. This protects your privacy and security.

Yes, if you attach a large video file to your PDF, the size of your PDF document will increase significantly. This is because the entire video file is embedded directly into the PDF. A larger PDF might take longer to open, save, and share. Consider linking to large files stored online instead of attaching them if file size is a concern.

Adobe Acrobat allows you to attach many different types of files to a PDF. This includes documents like Word files, Excel spreadsheets, images (like JPEGs or PNGs), audio files, and even other PDFs. The attached file keeps its original format and can be opened with its native application when extracted from the PDF.

Attach Field Sketch

When to use it

AI prompts

How to do it

Glossary

The real tasks

Who does this

FAQ

Sources

Adobe help