Sharing photos from Photos.app via Outlook

Question

Sharing photos from Photos.app via Outlook

I would like to share photos from Apple's Photos app through Microsoft Outlook. That is, to send them as attachments -- like I've always been able to with Apple's own Mail application. But for some reason, Photos will not give me a mail option from the Sharing system the Outlook is the mail client.

I have changed by default mail application (in Mail/Settings/General).
The OS (Ventura/13.4.1c) correctly reports the default mail app in System Settings/Privacy & Security/Extensions/Sharing
The OS reports my correct default mail app to Google Chrome.
The OS reports my correct default mail app to Apple's Pages. I *can* share from Pages via an Outlook attachment.
Neither Apple's Photos nor TextEdit applications allow me to Share via an email attachment when Outlook is the default mail client. They just do not list any mail client, in this situation.

This problem was reported three and half years ago, but no real responses showed up despite scores of "me, too"s.

Once again, it works fine in Pages, but not Photos.

What's the deal?

Posted on Jul 18, 2023 10:16 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Alexander Hoffman Author

Level 1

8 points

Jul 19, 2023 11:09 AM in response to IdrisSeabright

Yes. But why is it that the exact same system works for Apple’s Pages with Outlook, but not Apple’s Photos with Outlook?

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Answer 2

Jul 20, 2023 07:42 AM in response to Alexander Hoffman

Alexander Hoffman wrote:

How do you differentiate between "it's not written to work that way, apparently" and something actually being wrong?

Either it wasn't written that way on purpose or it wasn't written that way by mistake. As I noted, I see exactly the same thing.

I suggest you ask Microsoft about it. However, you can also submit feedback to Apple. They may collect data on such things.

Product Feedback - Apple

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Answer 3

Jul 19, 2023 02:38 PM in response to IdrisSeabright

How do you differentiate between "it's not written to work that way, apparently" and something actually being wrong?

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Answer 4

Jul 19, 2023 10:53 AM in response to Alexander Hoffman

What device are you using? I did just test on both my Mac and iPhone and it's not an option.

To the best of my knowledge, you can't add apps to the Sharing option. That has to be coded into the app by the developer. I don't believe what you've chosen as the default mail app has any effect on this.

You might be able to do something with Shortcuts but that's beyond my personal abilities.

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Answer 5

Yer_Man

Level 10

165,504 points

Jul 19, 2023 11:15 AM in response to Alexander Hoffman

I'm not sure why you're getting testy with me, I was just asking a question that might lead to an answer. But anyway, Outlook is made by Microsoft, and it's up to them to use the hooks that Apple writes into the OS for sharing, or write their own, or not. Ask them.

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Answer 6

Jul 19, 2023 01:32 PM in response to Alexander Hoffman

Alexander Hoffman wrote:

Yes. But why is it that the exact same system works for Apple’s Pages with Outlook, but not Apple’s Photos with Outlook?

Because it's not written to work that way, apparently.

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Answer 7

Jul 19, 2023 10:01 AM in response to Yer_Man

That has nothing to do with my question. I am talking about the OS-mediated sharing system (i.e., extensions and plugins).

You are talking about...when, I'm not even sure that they are attachments at all. And it certainly does not allow the attachment of individual photos from the Photos library -- as it does not have a photo picker and the Photo library is a non-explorable package.

Otherwise, Outlook does just fine with manually added attachments. I can even drag photos from the Photos window to an Outlook message window. It's just the sharing system that falls down.

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Answer 8

Yer_Man

Level 10

165,504 points

Jul 18, 2023 10:52 AM in response to Alexander Hoffman

What happens if you try coming the other direction: use the Attach feature in Outlook?

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Sharing photos from Photos.app via Outlook

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