---
title: "insertAttachment(_:withAlternateFilename:completionHandler:)"
framework: messages
role: symbol
role_heading: Instance Method
path: "messages/msconversation/insertattachment(_:withalternatefilename:completionhandler:)"
---

# insertAttachment(_:withAlternateFilename:completionHandler:)

Inserts an attachment into the current context.

## Declaration

```swift
func insertAttachment(_ URL: URL, withAlternateFilename filename: String?, completionHandler: (@Sendable ((any Error)?) -> Void)? = nil)
```

```swift
func insertAttachment(_ URL: URL, withAlternateFilename filename: String?) async throws
```

## Parameters

- `URL`: A URL for the media file to be inserted. This URL must refer to a file saved on the device.
- `filename`: An alternate name for the file. Use an alternate filename to better describe the attachment or to make the name more readable. If you pass a string, the Messages app uses the string as the attachment’s filename. If you pass nil, it parses the filename from the URL.
- `completionHandler`: A block that is called as soon as the insertion is complete. This block is passed the following parameter:

## Mentioned in

Adding Sticker packs and iMessage apps to the system Stickers app, Messages camera, and FaceTime

## Discussion

Discussion important: You can call this method from synchronous code using a completion handler, as shown on this page, or you can call it as an asynchronous method that has the following declaration: func insertAttachment(_ URL: URL, withAlternateFilename filename: String?) async throws For information about concurrency and asynchronous code in Swift, see Calling Objective-C APIs Asynchronously. Use this method to insert a media attachment into the current context. For the MSMessagesAppPresentationContext.messages context, this method inserts the attachment into the Message app’s input field. Users can then send the media file by tapping Send. For the MSMessagesAppPresentationContext.media context, the method only supports images. It places the image in the Messages camera or FaceTime. If the attachment is not an image type supported by MSSticker, the method fails with an MSMessageErrorCode.apiUnavailableInPresentationContext error. This method operates asynchronously. Although the method returns immediately, the actual work is deferred and performed in the background. As soon as the attachment is inserted, the system calls the completion block on a background queue. note: This method does not send the media file. It inserts the media file into the Messages app’s input field. The file is not sent until the user taps Send.

## See Also

### Inserting Content into the Input Field

- [insert(_:completionHandler:)](messages/msconversation/insert(_:completionhandler:)-3g248.md)
- [insert(_:completionHandler:)](messages/msconversation/insert(_:completionhandler:)-7fpdd.md)
- [insertText(_:completionHandler:)](messages/msconversation/inserttext(_:completionhandler:).md)