Skip to main content

4 Ways To Email Attachments When The File Extension Is Blocked

email .exe filesHave you ever tried to email an .exe file?
Most mail servers provide anti-virus protection. This means they scan file attachments of emails you send and receive. Some providers even go as far as to block a number of file extensions per default.
Gmail for example won’t let you send .exe files, even if they are archived in a .zip, .tar, .tgz, .taz, .z, or .gz file. Messages sent to you containing an .exe file will be bounced back to the sender.
So do you unblock attachments to send or receive .exe files nevertheless?

There are several simple tricks. Please note however, that some of them may violate the Terms Of Service of your email provider. Violating the TOS may result in your email account being locked or closed.

1. Upload The File to A File Hosting Service

how to unblock attachmentsA perfectly legal alternative to sending an .exe file is to upload the file to a file host and email the URL to the intended recipient.
We have previously covered several file hosting services on MakeUseOf. For some of them you don’t even have to sign up.

2. Put The Files In A Zip File

If you want to send several files and unblock individual attachments, this is the best way to go in the first place as the archive reduces the total file size. However, as I have mentioned in my introduction, if you add an .exe file to your .zip archive, it will still be blocked by Gmail and possibly other mail services.
Zip files contain archived file name listings, which are not encrypted, even if you password protect the .zip file. This is different with .rar archives, which do not easily reveal their content. You can download WinRAR here. Note that this is not a free tool. However, it offers a free trial and has been known to work even after the trial period expires.

3. Manually Change the File Extension

You can rename the .exe file extension to .jpg for example.
In order for this to work you must be able to see file extensions. In Windows, open the folder that contains the file you want to rename, go to > Tools > Folder Options… and open the > View tab. Under > Files and Folders remove the check mark for > Hide extensions for known file types. Click > OK to save your changes.
Now you can change the file extension. Windows will warn you that if you change a file name extension, the file may become unusable. Don’t worry, you can change it back later, so go ahead.
how to unblock attachments

4. Add An “Imaginary” File Extension

Changing the file extension has one major drawback: it’s not obvious, so you may forget that you changed it or someone else may not recognize it.
An alternative to unblock attachments is to rename the file, but instead of changing the file extension, simply add an additional one. For example, rename setup.exe to setup.exe.remove.
This post was inspired by a question posted on MakeUseOf Answers. Do you have a problem you need help with? Go ahead and ask us! It’s free and you don’t have to sign up.

Labels

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How To Hide Text In Microsoft Word 2007, Reveal It & Protect It

Sometimes what we hide is more important than what we reveal. Especially, documents with sensitive information, some things are supposed to be ‘for some eyes only’. Such scenarios are quite common, even for the more un-secretive among us. You want to show someone a letter composed in MS Word, but want to keep some of the content private; or it’s an official letter with some part of it having critical data. As important as these two are, the most common use could involve a normal printing job. Many a time we have to print different versions of a document, one copy for one set of eyes and others for other sets. Rather than creating multiple copies and therefore multiple printing jobs, what if we could just do it from the same document?  That too, without the hassle of repeated cut and paste. We can, with a simple feature in MS Word – it’s just called Hidden and let me show you how to use it to hide text in Microsoft Word 2007. It’s a simple single click process. Open the docum...
1 comment
Read more

Boom, the startup that wants to build supersonic planes, just signed a massive deal with Virgin

Have you heard about Boom? Boom is a relatively new startup that’s aiming to build something pretty crazy. They’re not building an app… or a social network… or even some new gadget for the Kickstarter crowd. Boom wants to build planes. Really, really, really fast planes. Specifically, they’re trying to design and build a supersonic passenger plane that goes 2.2x the speed of sound. If all goes to plan, they’ll be able to shuttle people from New York to London in 3.5 hours, and SF to Tokyo in 4.5. Sound crazy? I wouldn’t disagree. It’s worth noting that the company is in the very early days for something as intensive, massive, and hugely expensive as designing and producing a passenger aircraft. They’re still working on their first prototype, and hope to fly it by late next year. But it’s also worth noting that the team behind the plane has some serious talent in its blood: the company’s 11 employees have collectively contributed to over 30 aircrafts — having worked on thin...
Post a Comment
Read more

Fun Tools to Translate Your Name into Japanese Calligraphy

Japanese calligraphy is an artistic writing style of the Japanese language. Its Chinese origins can be traced back to the twenty-eighth century BCE. Calligraphy found its way into Japanese culture in 600 CE and is known as the karayo tradition. For Westerners, calligraphy is forever fascinating. However, it takes years to learn how to properly draw the signs. Two basic principles must be known to understand Japanese writing: there are different writing styles and different alphabets. Kaisho for example, is a writing style most commonly used in print media. Tensho on the other hand is used in signatures. Other writing styles are Reisho, Gyosho and Sousho. The alphabets include Kanji, Hiragana, and Katakana. Katakana is used for writing foreign words. It can also serve to highlight words, in analogy to capital letters as we know them from the Roman / Latin alphabet (Romaji in Japanese). Each Kanji character has a meaning of its own, while Hiragana or Katakana characters merely repres...
Post a Comment
Read more