Quick answer
- WebClient: open a message, click a file's arrow menu and choose Download.
- Thunderbird: add your IceWarp account over IMAP, open a message and click Save All.
- Bulk: an attachment extractor saves attachments from IceWarp mail folders in one run, with date, sender and subject filters.
You open IceWarp, find an invoice and click once. Then 499 more wait. WebClient saves one file per click, so a big mailbox turns into hours of clicking. Your files are safe inside their messages, and three methods below get them out.
Why save attachments from IceWarp email?
You save attachments from IceWarp to keep business files outside your mailbox. IceWarp is an email and collaboration server, and every attachment stays locked inside its message until you save it.
Typical reasons we see:
- You are leaving your job and need project files.
- Your IceWarp server is shutting down.
- Your mailbox is full and old mail must go.
- An audit needs invoices and contracts.
- You are moving to Outlook or Gmail.
Pain is identical in all five cases. Webmail saves one file per click, folders hold thousands of messages and file names repeat.
How to save attachment from IceWarp WebClient?
Open your message, click a file's arrow menu and choose Download. It lands in your browser's download folder. Any browser works and you need no software.
- Sign in to IceWarp WebClient with your email address and password.
- Open a message that holds your attachment.
- Click your attachment's arrow to open its menu.
- Choose Download to save a copy on your computer. Choose Save to Folder to store it in your WebDocuments folder on your IceWarp server.
Older IceWarp versions label that option Save. Images and PDFs preview inside a message, so you can check them before saving. Every file needs its own round of steps, so 500 attachments mean 500 rounds.
To save a message itself, select it, right-click and choose Save As then EML. An EML file keeps attachments inside it. Then extract attachments from EML files in one batch.
How to save attachments from IceWarp with Thunderbird?
Add your IceWarp account to Thunderbird over IMAP and click Save All. Thunderbird is Mozilla's free email client. It saves all files of a message in one click.
- Open Thunderbird and go to Account Settings, then Account Actions, then Add Mail Account.
- Enter your name, IceWarp email address and password.
- Select IMAP. Ask your IceWarp admin for your IMAP server name and enter it. IMAP over SSL/TLS uses port 993.
- Wait while your folders sync.
- Open a message with attachments.
- Click Save All in your attachment bar and select a folder.
A message with one file shows Save instead. You still open messages one by one. For more Thunderbird steps, see how to download attachments from Thunderbird.
Why can't you save attachment from IceWarp?
Three problems stop you: browser download fails, SmartAttach link expires or your phone mail app breaks. Real users on IceWarp community and support pages report all three.
ZIP attachment times out in IceWarp WebMail
One IceWarp community user reported that ZIP attachments start downloading in WebMail, then time out in every browser. Other file types worked. That ZIP opened fine through a local mail client. On their server, it showed 0 bytes in ~gw\attachments\. IceWarp posted no official fix in that thread.
Reported workaround: add your account to Thunderbird over IMAP and save your ZIP from there. Admins should check server copies in ~gw\attachments\ too.
IceWarp attachments will not download on iPhone
Since iOS 18.0, Apple Mail fails to download some attachments and blinks between Downloading and Tap to download. IceWarp support lists two fixes.
- Go to Settings, then Mail, and turn off Protect Mail Activity. Restart Mail.
- Or remove your account and add it again.
Both fixes are temporary. Third party clients such as eM Client do not show that problem.
SmartAttach link expired or asks for login
A link expires when your admin sets an expiry in days. It asks for a login unless anonymous access is on. Some links also ask for a password, because senders can protect a SmartAttach file with one. Ask your sender or admin to share that file again.
How to save attachments from IceWarp in bulk?
Use Corbett Email Attachment Extractor. It reads your IceWarp mail folders and saves every attachment to your PC in its original format. It runs on Windows 10, 8 and 7. Its free demo lets you test before you buy.
Steps to save attachments from IceWarp with software
- Install Corbett Email Attachment Extractor on a Windows PC that can reach your IceWarp mail folders, then start it.
- Add mail data. Select Choose Folders and browse to your IceWarp mail folder. Folders list on left and messages show on right.
- Folders start ticked. Untick any you want to skip.
- Set filters if needed: date range, From, To, Subject, file name and file size range.
- Click Extract Attachments. Files land in a new folder on your PC, with one subfolder per mail folder.
Your IceWarp attachments keep their original format and folder hierarchy, and inline images come along too. When two files share a name, a later one becomes File(1), so nothing gets overwritten.
Two other modes work alike. Choose Files takes one mail file. Configured Accounts pulls attachments straight from accounts you add inside it, including Gmail, Yahoo, Office 365 and iCloud.
You need no webmail login when you already have mail files, because Choose Folders reads them from disk.
Which way to save IceWarp attachments is best?
Use WebClient for one file, Thunderbird for one message and an extractor for folders or full mailboxes.
| Way to save IceWarp attachments | Files per run | Filters | When it fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| IceWarp WebClient | 1 file | None | You need a few files and have your login |
| Thunderbird Save All | 1 message | None | You need all files of a few messages |
| Corbett Email Attachment Extractor | Entire folders | Date, sender, receiver, subject, file name and size | You need hundreds or thousands of files |
Moving to another mail service? See how to migrate IceWarp emails to Outlook. Need readable copies of messages? See how to save IceWarp emails to PDF. Need sender addresses? See how to extract email addresses from IceWarp. After moving to Outlook, extract attachments from PST files same way.
What are IceWarp SmartAttach files?
SmartAttach files are attachments that IceWarp moved out of email and replaced with download links. SmartAttach stores files in groupware storage and puts a URL in your message body, for incoming and outgoing mail. It handles attachments up to 2 GB, which matches WebClient's upload limit.
These files are not attached to your message, so Download does not show them. Open their links instead. Your admin sets expiry in days, and 0 means files never expire. Recipients sign in with their account unless anonymous access is on. Senders can also add a password, and IceWarp tracks who opens a link and from where.
One catch for senders: a message can carry several SmartAttach files only when they come from one folder in Files & Documents. If a sender deletes or moves a file, its link stops working, so ask for a resend.
On your IceWarp server, files sit here:
IceWarp\mail\[domain]\[user]\~gw\attachments\See IceWarp SmartAttach documentation for every setting.
How to save IceWarp attachments safely?
- Save IceWarp attachments to a new folder so old and new files stay apart.
- Scan every downloaded IceWarp attachment with antivirus software before opening.
- Run a short date range first when you save attachments from IceWarp in big mailboxes. A short test shows results before a long run.
- Save SmartAttach files early, because your admin sets an expiry for attachments sent as links.
- Filter by file name or size to skip tiny signature images and logos in IceWarp attachments.
- Keep a copy of your original mail folder until every saved attachment from IceWarp opens.
WebClient steps above follow IceWarp's IceWarp WebClient User Guide.
Our view
Use WebClient when you need one or two files. Past ten attachments, switch to Thunderbird or an extractor, because a click-by-click run loses time and invites missed files. We would also save SmartAttach files first, since only those can expire.
Key takeaways
- IceWarp WebClient saves one attachment per click through Download or Save to Folder.
- Thunderbird over IMAP saves all files of a message with Save All.
- An extractor saves attachments from IceWarp folders in bulk with six filters.
- SmartAttach files are links, so open them and save before they expire.
- ZIP and iPhone download failures have workarounds above.
Questions about saving IceWarp attachments
Can you save all attachments from IceWarp at once?
Yes. You can save attachments from IceWarp in one run with extractor software, which reads mail folders. IceWarp WebClient saves one file per click, and Thunderbird Save All saves files of one message.
Where does IceWarp save downloaded attachments?
IceWarp WebClient sends files to your browser's default download folder. Thunderbird asks which folder to use. Corbett Email Attachment Extractor writes files to a new folder on your PC.
Can you save IceWarp attachments by sender or date?
Yes. Corbett Email Attachment Extractor saves attachments from IceWarp by From, To, Subject, date range, file name and file size range. WebClient and Thunderbird have no attachment filter.
Do saved IceWarp attachments keep original format?
Yes. IceWarp attachments keep original format and folder hierarchy in software output. PDF stays PDF and Excel sheet stays Excel sheet.
What happens when two IceWarp attachments share one name?
It renames a later file to File(1), so nothing gets overwritten.
Can you save IceWarp attachments without logging in?
Yes, when you have mail files. Select Choose Folders in Corbett Email Attachment Extractor and browse to your IceWarp mail folder. That route needs no webmail login.
Where are IceWarp mail files stored?
IceWarp servers keep mail in .imap files under IceWarp\mail\[domain]\[user]\. SmartAttach files sit in ~gw\attachments\ inside that user folder.
Why does IceWarp ZIP attachment fail to download?
One reported cause is a ZIP stored as 0 bytes in ~gw\attachments\ on a server, even when WebMail shows a correct size. Add your account to Thunderbird over IMAP and try again, and ask your admin to check server files.
How to save IceWarp attachments on iPhone?
Turn off Protect Mail Activity under Settings then Mail, restart Mail and retry. If it still fails, remove your account, add it again or open it in another mail app.
Is there a size limit for IceWarp attachments?
SmartAttach handles attachments up to 2 GB, which matches WebClient upload size limit. Admins can set content filters that trigger SmartAttach by message size.
