Much as we would all like to send video clips with our e-mail, it is not possible just yet. However, there is a workaround to the issue, for users of e-mail programs like Microsoft Outlook or Mozilla Thunderbird. As these programs use HTML format, users can link a picture to an e-mail and enable recipients of the e-mail to view the desired video through the Internet.
In order to do this, follow through this simple step by step guide:
- First, upload the desired video to YouTube. This will give you a webpage URL, to be used as a link, with your e-mail.
- Launch your e-mail program and write the body of the e-mail as usual. Press the ‘Enter’ key a couple of times to create space to load the video.
- Take a screenshot of the YouTube page with your video. For this, press the ‘Control’ and ‘Print Screen’ key together. Open your e-mail again, right-click on it and select ‘Paste’. As the screenshot would take up a lot of space, use the picture ‘Tools’ to resize the image.
- Download a play button and save it, to use with this video. Next, click on your e-mail again, and then click on ‘Insert’ at the top of the window. Follow this by clicking on ‘Picture’ and ‘From File’. Browse for the ‘Play’ graphic, select it and click on ‘Insert’. Place the ‘Play’ graphic at the center of the screenshot of the video; and right-click on it. This will bring up the ‘Hyperlink’ option. Click on it to open the hyperlink command box.
- Return to the YouTube page and click on the ‘Share’ link under the video. Select and right-click the box under ‘Copy and paste this link into an email or instant message’. This will copy the URL.
- Now click back into the e-mail. Paste the address into the ‘Address’ box located at the bottom of the Hyperlink window. Click ‘Ok’.
- Your e-mail is now all ready to impress.
When recipients of the e-mail click on the ‘Play’ button, they will be automatically directed to the YouTube page with your video.
