How to Save Email Attachment on iPhone with Attachment Saver

by Simon Ng on August 17, 2009



Even with the release of iPhone 3.0, it lacks some well-expected features. Here is one complaint that I was told by some iPhone users:

How come I can’t save email attachment on iPhone?

On iPhone 3.0, it only allows you to save image in email attachment to photo library. But how about other types of attachment such as PDF, document or excel files? Presently, there is no way to save these kinds of attachment. You can only open the email and view the attachment within the Mail application.

Now, with a jailbroken iPhone, you’ll have the privilege to save email attachment to iPhone’s internal disk. Thanks to the developers of Attachment Saver to make this happen.

Attachment Saver is a hack that tweaks iPhone’s built-in Mail application to allow you to save email attachment. With the hack installed, you’ll see a new option called “Save to Disk” when you tap on the attachment. This option allows you to save the selected attachment to local disk and you can even choose specific folder to save the file.

Attachment Saver - Save attachmentAttachment Saver - Specify folder to save

With multiple email attachment, you can also tap the “Reply arrow” button to save the attachments all at once.

Attachement Saver - Save all attachments

Okay, when you read here, probably you already have a question in your mind. How can you open and read the attachment? When is it saved? iPhone does not come with any file browser to navigate the file system. With jailbroken iPhone, you can install iFile or FileViewer to open the attachment. By default, Attachment Saver saves all your attachment under /private/var/mobile/Library/Attachments. Simply use the file browser application and navigate to the folder. You’ll then find all your email attachments.

iFile - File Browser for iPhone

Attachment Saver is a paid cydia application and available at Cydia Store for US$1.99. I highly recommend this application if you are in search of the way to save email attachment on iPhone.

Tip: To learn more about how to purchase cydia apps from Cydia Store, check out this walkthrough guide.

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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }

1 tomi September 27, 2009 at 11:46 pm

is there any known way to change the default place to store the attachments downloaded? thank you very much

Reply

2 Msoes Lee October 16, 2009 at 4:14 pm

/private/var/mobile/Library/Attachments.

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3 Paul November 10, 2009 at 6:34 am

Great help , clarified a few things for me. Cheers for sharing the knowledge. Paul

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4 Thomas November 14, 2009 at 3:55 am

Dear Simon,
your report gives me some hope that a solution is available.
Just to illustrate: As one of the Apple oldies (SE 4/20MB) I waited for the 3GS hoping that the product had matured. Clearly, the iPhone is a nice music/slideshow/video player with added phone functionallity but quite useless for mobile business use.
Here Apple failed shamefully and adds to its long history of believing that they know best of how we should use their products. And unfortunately, their sales success might even confirm their belief.
Harsch words, but unfortunatelly true:
On a trip, I received an excel file as an attachment which needed my urgent input whereafter I needed to send it to someone else. Firstly, I thought I could transfer that attachment to my MacBook Pro (wrong assumption). Thethering was unfortunatley also not available from the network provider.
So the file was somewhere in my iphone, and I was completely taken by surprise and disbelieve that Apple does not allow neither to save the attachment in an accessible location, nor gives me access to the file system nor has any decent offerning in the itunes store.
To solve that, I had to revert to my old Sony Ericsson P1 where I could do all the things I wanted.
My current conclusion if your advise does not help: I will give the iphone to my son to enjoy music and I will buy a decent phone capable of business use.

PS:
If jailbroken, is there a way to access the caller list to account/invoice for the time spend on the phone?

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5 Lisa November 17, 2009 at 11:46 pm

Does this app void the warranty on the iPhone?

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6 Simon Ng November 18, 2009 at 11:27 pm

@Lisa, to use this app, you will need to jailbreak your iPhone first, that may void the warranty.

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