Help Centre

Sending Attachments

Getting Started

• Maximum attachment size
• Adding attachments

Learn More

• About anti-virus scanning
• Zipped attachments
• Advanced attachment features

Troubleshooting

• Some file types are blocked
• An attachment I sent was garbled
• 'Document Contains No Data' errors

Your Messages : Sending : Attachments : Getting Started

Maximum attachment size

With Virgin Media Mail, you can send and receive messages up to 20 megabytes (MB) in size. However, the precise amount allowable will depend on the attachment.

When you add an attachment, the size of a file may increase because transport encodings are automatically added. (Transport encodings are the information that allows your message to be safely sent and read.)

This means that in some cases, attachments that are 17 to 20MB in size may push the total message size above 20MB. When this happens, Virgin Media Mail displays a warning that your message exceeds the 20MB limit.

Please note that you may not be able to send larger attachments to contacts who use other email services with smaller attachment limits.

Adding attachments

To attach a file to a message you're composing, follow these steps:

1. Click Attach a file under the subject field.
2. Browse through your files and click the name of the file you'd like to attach.
3. Click Open.

If you'd like to remove a file you've attached to a message, click remove.

To attach another file, click Attach another file.

Keep in mind that you can't send executable files or other potentially harmful files or messages larger than 20 MB.

Your Messages : Sending : Attachments : Learn More

About anti-virus scanning

Virgin Media Mail automatically scans every attachment when it's delivered to your account, and again each time you open a message. Attachments you send are also scanned. Checking attachments for viruses protects our users and their information, and prevents the spread of viruses.

• If a virus is found in an attachment you've received, our system will attempt to clean the file, so you can still access the information it contains. If the virus can't be removed from the file, you won't be able to download it.
• If our system is unable to scan certain files, you'll see an error reading 'Oops... the virus scanner has a problem right now.' You'll have the option to try again later or to download at your own risk. Please note that if Virgin Media Mail can't scan the contents of the file, we can't guarantee that it's safe to view.
• If an attachment you're trying to send is infected with a virus, Virgin Media Mail will display an error message to tell you, but it won't clean the file. To send the message without that attachment, click the link in that error message that says 'Remove attachment and send.'
• If Virgin Media Mail detects that you're trying to send an infected attachment, we suggest running your anti-virus software in case your hard drive is infected. If you don't have anti-virus software, as a Virgin Broadband customer, you can download and install PCguard free of charge.

Zipped attachments

Virgin Media Mail allows you to send and receive zipped attachments, as long as they meet three conditions:

1. They don't contain executable files or other potentially harmful files.
2. They are less than the maximum attachment size.
3. They are not password-protected or encrypted.

Advanced attachment features

If you have Flash enabled on your computer, you can attach multiple files to a message simultaneously. Here's how it works:

1. Click Attach a file
2. Select as many files as you'd like (hold down the Ctrl key as you click to select multiple files)
3. Click Open

You'll see a progress bar next to each file, indicating whether it's finished uploading.

If at any point you'd like to change your attachment uploading settings (i.e. turn the simultaneous uploading and progress bars on or off), you can do so on the General tab of the Settings page.

Your Messages : Sending : Attachments : Troubleshooting

Some file types are blocked

As a security measure to prevent potential viruses, Virgin Media Mail doesn't allow you to send or receive executable files (such as files ending in .exe) that could contain damaging executable code.

We also do not allow certain other types of potentially harmful files, with ending as listed here: ".ade", ".adp", ".bas", ".bat", ".chm", ".cmd", ".com", ".cpl", ".crt", ".dll", ".hlp", ".hta", ".inf", ".ini", ".ins", ".isp", ".jse", ".lib", ".lnk", ".mdb", ".mde", ".msc", ".msi", ".msp", ".mst", ".ocx", .pages, ".pcd", ".pif", ".reg", ".scr", ".sct", ".shb", ".shs", ".sys", ".url", ".vb", ".vbe", ".vbs", ".vxd", ".wsc", ".wsf" and ".wsh".

Virgin Media Mail won't accept these types of files even if they are sent in a zipped (.zip, .tar, .tgz, .taz, .z, .gz) format. If this type of message is sent to your Virgin Media Mail account, it is bounced back to the sender automatically.

You can send and receive messages up to 20 megabytes (MB) total (including attachments). Any message that exceeds this limit will not be delivered to your inbox and will be returned to the sender.

An attachment I sent was garbled

If attachments you've sent are garbled or missing when they reach their destination, the headers of the message will help diagnose the issue. You can learn how to display message headers to help resolve the problem.

'Document Contains No Data' errors

Virgin Media Mail allows you to send files up to 20MB in size, but the files can't be executable. (Computer viruses are often spread with executable files or other potentially harmful files, so Virgin Media Mail doesn't accept them, even if they are zipped and don't have an '.exe' extension.) If you try to send a file larger than 20MB, or one has an executable file attached, Virgin Media Mail will display an error message that says 'Document Contains No Data.'

If you're unable to send a message that is smaller than 20MB and doesn't have any executable files attached, we suggest disabling pop-up blocking software you have installed on your computer, and attempting to send the attachment again.