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How to download blocked attachments from Gmail from any device? Step by step guide

Gmail is a widely used platform thanks to the great benefits it offers to its users, and above all for the protection obtained by the data that is shared here.

But there is a small problem and it is that Gmail sometimes blocks some emails for the wrong reasons, annoying the process of downloading the attachments stored in them.

If this is your case, we invite you to inform yourself very well why this happens and thus you could clearly discern whether or not it is convenient for you to download the information that has been blocked in your account. Also, in this post we will teach you how to download attachments blocked with a particular process.

What are the reasons why Gmail blocks attachments sent in the mail?

The google algorithms they are constantly updated by developers, especially those who take care of the integrity of their users. That is why Gmail makes sure to exhaustively check the files that are loaded in its databases, this in case in a moment there is a problem the interface may stop the spread of malicious files and else computer viruses.

This situation can cause some attachments, maybe totally harmless get caught in the middle of this crossfire. This can happen because the google algorithm assigned for this task detects certain files by their suspicious nature. The list of files that can be considered suspicious due to their formats can be very long, but the most common are usually compressed (especially if these are encrypted).

Among the most prominent are:

  • .gz
  • .bz2
  • .zip
  • .tgz
  • .rar
  • .tar

It is true that these formats alone should not pose any threat, since they are widely used to contain installers and to transport data quickly. The detail is that for Gmail there is always the possibility that it is a malicious file. Any file with an executable format such as the one known is also suspicious “.Exe” or any other file containing a macro.

For those who do not know, a macro is an executable that can be activated without the user’s knowledge, since it can be hidden in simple working documents such as:

  • .docx
  • .Doc
  • .xls
  • .xlt
  • .pptx

This does not mean that Gmail will block every file that has one of the presented formats, Instead, the algorithm will verify them, if the existence of a macro or something out of place is found, possibly that attachment will be classified as dangerous and will be blocked until proven otherwise.

Learn step by step how to download blocked attachments in Gmail fast and easy

To be able to follow this series of steps It is necessary that you have complete certainty that the source of the attachment that you are going to download is trustworthy, because Gmail it only locks uploaded files when it has compelling reasons.

Remember that you can also choose to simply ask the sender to use some other means, such as Google drive. A little trick that is also valid is modify the nature of the file by editing the format directly from the name. Now if you have no other alternative than Gmail then you must first open an email client on your computer.

In Linux you will find Thunderbird and in Windows you can use the “Mail” application by default:

  • First we access the inbox of Gmail and once there we choose the email with the compromised attachment.
  • With the email open we select the option of the 3 points which is located in the upper right area of ​​the message.
  • Now in the folding tab you must click on the option “Show original.”

  • A new tab will open with the data of the original message and here we just have to click on “Download the original.”

Download original

  • This will leave us in the download folder an email format file (.eml) and all we have to do is open the file with the email client of our choice.
  • For it right click on the file to choose the application to use.

Mail client

  • This we will open the message in the desktop application and we will have all the power to extract the attachment without problems.

List of the best security extensions for your email that you should know

We now invite you to visualize this little list of extensions that you can add to your web browser to increase the security of your emails.

Go for it:

Microsoft Defender Browser Protection

Microsoft Defender Browser

This is a powerful extension provided by Microsoft company so that users can surf the web calmly and without being so exposed to Internet threats. It can be implemented when opening emails, as it is designed to detect harmful and hidden links as well as malicious attachments. For To be able to enjoy the benefits of this add-on, you only need to do a little search in your browser and integrate it into it..

Avast Online Security

Avast Online Security

Is about a plugin for web browsers derived from Avast computer security software. It is essential to detect malicious code behind any website, so it is undoubtedly very useful when opening emails of dubious origin.

AVG Online Security

AVG Online Security

To finish we have brought you this extension with which you can detect any electronic attack before it happens, which will leave you a pleasant browsing experience, because AVG Online makes sure not to allow access to any compromised links.