An attachment is a file which is attached to the e-mail you are sending.

Your e-mail is made up of words but attachments are great because they can be other files like photos or sounds.

So next time it's your friend's birthday, you can attach a photo, a song, or even an animated card to wish them a happy birthday.

Why attach

Imagine you are writing a note to a friend and you decide to send a holiday photo along with your message.

You might use a paper clip to stick them together so they arrive at the same time and don't get lost.

E-mail attachments are just the same but it's not only pictures you send. You can send sounds, word documents, videos or spreadsheets - in fact, any type of file at all.

I have one!

You'll often know before you open a mail that it has an attachment as there is often a small paper clip or file icon next to the subject of the mail in your inbox.

When you open the e-mail you will see an icon which you click on to open the attachment.

When you try to open an attachment it will normally open in the program it needs. So, if someone sends you a word document, it will open in Microsoft Word. If someone sends you a sound file it will open in your media player.

Save attachments

The important thing to do after you open an attachment, if you want to keep it, is to save it your hard disk.

It's important because this means you can now delete the copy in your in-box. This is particularly important if you have got webmail where your space might be limited.

It also means that you can make changes to the file - perhaps edit it if it's a word document, and then keep a saved copy.