How to fix my attachment problem

Follow these steps depending on where the attachments are being opened from.

1. Check where attachments are being saved by default
   • In both new Outlook and classic Outlook, attachments are saved to the Documents folder by default.
   • When saving an attachment, select the drop-down arrow next to the attachment icon and choose Save As. In the dialog, note the folder path and change it to a location that is easy to find (for example, Desktop or a specific folder).
   • The default save location cannot be changed globally, so a different folder must be chosen each time if Documents is not desired.
2. If Outlook says the attachment is unsafe or blocks it
   • Outlook blocks certain file types (for example, .exe and some database files) to protect against malware.
   • Ask the sender to:
     • Upload the file to OneDrive and send a sharing link instead, or
     • Compress the file into a .zip using a tool like WinZip and send the .zip, or
     • Rename the file extension to a non-blocked type (for example, rename .exe to .doc), then resend. After downloading, rename it back to the original extension before opening.
3. If attachments will not download at all from Outlook on the web (OWA)
   • If the error is similar to “Something went wrong while the document preview was being created” or “The request could not be completed. Try again in a little while.” when downloading from Outlook on the web:
     • Try downloading the same attachment using the Outlook desktop client instead of the browser.
     • If using an additional mailbox in OWA on Exchange Server 2016/2019, the server may need a newer Cumulative Update installed to fix attachment preview/download issues.
     • As a temporary workaround, access the mailbox using the OWA light version by appending ?layout=light to the mailbox URL.
4. If nothing downloads from the Internet (not just Outlook)
   • Check that file downloads are enabled in Internet security settings:
     1. Press Start, type inetcpl.cpl, and press Enter.
     2. Go to Security tab > select Internet zone > Custom level.
     3. Under Downloads, set File download to Enable.
     4. Under Miscellaneous, set Launching applications and unsafe files to Prompt (recommended).
   • If “virus scan failed” or “virus detected” appears when downloading, the antivirus software may be blocking downloads. Temporarily disabling virus scanning (if allowed by policy) can confirm this; re-enable it immediately afterward.
5. If Outlook hangs or is very slow when opening attachments
   • A VPN or antivirus product can cause delays or blocking when attachments are opened or copied.
   • Temporarily disable or reconfigure the VPN/antivirus (for example, change the VPN connection protocol) and test opening attachments again.

If attachments still appear to “go somewhere invisible,” save one attachment using Save As, carefully note the full folder path in the dialog, then open that folder in File Explorer and confirm the file appears there.

References:

• Troubleshoot attachment problems in Outlook for Windows
• Blocked attachments in Outlook
• Outlook blocked access to the following potentially unsafe attachments
• Information about the Attachment Manager in Microsoft Windows
• Attachments can’t be downloaded or previewed from Outlook Web App
• Having internet, but not being able to download anything - Microsoft Q&A
• Error message when trying to download attachments from OWA 365 - Microsoft Q&A
• Outlook Classic "hangs" if I want to open or copy attachments - Microsoft Q&A
• Attachments not downloading - Microsoft Q&A
• Can't open images and videos I downloaded myself because they could be potentially harmful - Microsoft Q&A