Top 7 Fixes for Unable to Open Attachments in Microsoft Outlook on Windows

Unable to open an attachment in Outlook? Depending on the issue, you may encounter different error messages. Luckily, there are ways to resolve this problem. Possible causes include misconfigured settings, faulty add-ins, and corrupt data files. Here are some troubleshooting tips for when you can’t open attachments in Outlook for Windows.

1. When the Attachment Is Corrupt

If Microsoft Outlook’s attachment is not opening for a specific file, it is likely corrupt. In this case, Outlook may display an error message saying ‘The file is corrupt and cannot be opened.’ You can ask the sender to resend the file and check if the error occurs again.

2. Check Attachment Handling Settings

Another reason why Outlook may fail to open attachments is the disabled file previewer option. To check attachment handling settings in Outlook, follow these steps:

1. Click the File menu in the top left corner of the Outlook app.

2. Select Options from the left sidebar.

3. Switch to the Trust Center tab and click the Trust Center Settings button.

4. In the Attachment Handling tab, uncheck the ‘Turn off Attachment Preview’ checkbox.

5. Click on ‘Attachment and Document Previewers’ and ensure all the previewers are active.

6. Restart Microsoft Outlook and check if you can open attachments.

3. Open Microsoft Outlook in Safe Mode

To open Microsoft Outlook in safe mode, run the app without any add-ins. This will help you troubleshoot any issues caused by third-party add-ins. To do this, hold down the CTRL key and double-click the Outlook shortcut, then click Yes to confirm.

Check if you can open attachments in safe mode. If you can, a third-party add-in could be the cause. Disable all Outlook add-ins and then re-enable them one by one to identify the culprit.

Step 1: Click on the File menu.

Step 2: Navigate to Options.

Step 3: In the Outlook Options window, go to the Add-ins tab. Select COM Add-ins from the drop-down menu next to Manage, then click Go.

Step 4: Uncheck all boxes to disable add-ins and click OK.

Restart Outlook in normal mode and enable your add-ins one by one to isolate the culprit.

4. Clear Outlook Cache

Corrupt Outlook cache data may prevent the app from functioning properly. Clearing Outlook’s cache files should help.

Step 1: Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog. Step 2: Type the following path in the Open field and press Enter: %localappdata%\Microsoft\Outlook\RoamCache

Step 3: Open the RoamCache folder in File Explorer. Delete all the files by selecting them and clicking the Trash icon in the top.

Restart Outlook to inspect the mail attachments.

5. Temporarily Disable Antivirus Program

Your antivirus may prevent Outlook from loading or opening suspicious attachments. However, it can occasionally block legitimate files and cause issues. If you’re confident about the file source, disable your antivirus program temporarily and try to open the attachment again. Make sure to re-enable the antivirus program after viewing your attachments.

6. Update Microsoft Outlook

You may be unable to open attachments in Outlook because you are using an outdated version of the app. This can happen if you’ve disabled automatic updates for Office apps.

To install Outlook updates manually, follow these steps.

1. Open Outlook and click on the File menu in the top left corner.

Step 2: Switch to the Office Account tab, expand Update Options, and click Update Now.

7. Use Outlook’s Data File Repair Tool

If updating the Outlook app doesn’t work, the issue could be related to Outlook’s data files on your PC. You can use Outlook’s Repair tool to fix the issue.

Step 1: Open File Explorer on your PC and navigate to the following folder.

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office

oot\Office16

Step 2: Double-click on the SCANPST.EXE file to open it.

Step 3: Click Start to begin the scan.

Step 4: If the tool finds any issues, click Repair.

Reopen Outlook on your PC. This should resolve any attachment-opening issues.

Refresh Your Outlook

Enabling document previewers or disabling add-ins should resolve most issues. If not, you may need to try other solutions. Share your success story with us in the comments below.