---
id: finder-location.can-i-attach-or-upload-a-moved-file
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/finder-location/can-i-attach-or-upload-a-moved-file
category: "Finding things in Finder"
subcategory: "Opening and using moved files"
question: "Can I attach a moved file to an email or upload it from its usual folder?"
alt_questions:
  - "Attach relocated file to email Mac"
  - "Upload a file that Storage Studio moved"
  - "Does Mail attach the shortcut or the real file?"
  - "Can I share a moved file with AirDrop?"
  - "Sending a file that lives on the external drive"
short_answer: "Yes. Choosing the file from its usual folder in an Open or Attach window gives the app the real file from your external drive, as long as it's connected. To copy the actual file elsewhere, use Show Original first."
tags: ["email", "attach", "upload", "shortcut"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/finder-location/how-do-i-find-the-real-file-behind-a-shortcut", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/finder-location/can-i-copy-a-moved-folder-to-another-drive", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/finder-location/can-i-edit-and-save-files-through-a-shortcut"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# Can I attach a moved file to an email or upload it from its usual folder?

Yes. When you pick the file from its usual folder in an app's Open or Attach window, macOS follows the shortcut and hands the app the real file from your external drive. The drive must be connected.

If you *copy* the shortcut itself somewhere — onto a USB stick, or to another Mac — you may only copy the link, not the file. To give someone the actual file, copy it from the drive: select the shortcut, choose **File → Show Original**, and copy the item Finder shows you.

See [How to find the real file behind a shortcut](https://storagestudio.us/faq/finder-location/how-do-i-find-the-real-file-behind-a-shortcut).