Outlook and Word file attachment not opening or crash

Question

Outlook and Word file attachment not opening or crash

R Singh 40

We are having an issue where when trying to open word documents attached in an outlook email they are unable to open them. It either wont open at all or word opens for a few seconds and then crashes and closes word.

The workaround we have found for this is if they save the attached document then they are able to open this without issue but we dont want to have to save every document we receive.

If we were to untick "enable protected view for outlook attachments" within trust center settings then this also works but we need protected view enabled.

What I have noticed is that the affected user cant seem to open documents from the following path.

C:\Users\usename\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Outlook but have no issues opening word documents when saved to the one drive for example but this is already listed as a trusted location in word/outlook so they should be able to open documents from within here.

Note: I have tried resetting the outlook profile, I have tried clearing the contents of the content.outlook folder, we have tried deleting the outlook folder in regedit. I have also tried adding the full path for C:\Users\usename\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Outlook into the trust center settings rather than just having C:\Users\usename\AppData\ (with subfolders ticked) but none of these are working.

Need steps if you had similiar issue mentioned somewhere else

Answer accepted by question author

3 additional answers

Your answer

Answer 1

Please look at the following page by MVP Graham Mayor: https://www.gmayor.com/outlook_attachments.htm. That is about the problem that occurs when anyone directly opens a Word document attached to an email. Work gets lost. This is what John is referring to.

Putting on my moderator hat: If RaGau is another account for R Singh, please try to only use one username in a single thread. Among other things, this reduces confusion and allows you privileges in the thread that are available to the person who initially asked the question.

Answer 2

John Korchok 224.5K Volunteer Moderator

As you've found, saving the files to disk first solves the problem. That's always the recommended workflow. Office files edited while they are still attached to an email are often corrupted, something you want to avoid.

Answer 3

It sounds like you're experiencing issues with opening Word documents attached in Outlook, particularly when they are located in the Content.Outlook folder. Here are some steps that may help resolve the issue:

Check Windows Firewall Service: Ensure that the Windows Firewall service is running, as this can affect the ability to open attachments. To do this:
- Press the Windows logo key + R to open the Run dialog.
- Type services.msc and press Enter.
- In the Services window, locate Windows Firewall, right-click it, and select Start if it is not running.
Modify Protected View Settings: Since you mentioned that disabling Protected View allows documents to open, consider adjusting the settings instead of completely disabling it. You can do this by:
- Opening Word, going to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Protected View.
- Ensure that the option for enabling Protected View for files originating from the internet and unsafe locations is checked, but consider unchecking the option for Outlook attachments temporarily to test if it resolves the issue.
Add Trusted Locations: Ensure that the C:\Users\usename\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Outlook path is added as a trusted location in Word. You can do this by:
- Going to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Trusted Locations.
- Click on Add new location and enter the path.
Repair Office Installation: Sometimes, repairing the Office installation can resolve issues with file handling. To do this:
- Go to Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features.
- Select your Microsoft Office installation and choose Change > Repair.
Check for Updates: Ensure that both Outlook and Word are updated to the latest version, as updates often contain fixes for known issues.

If these steps do not resolve the issue, consider checking the event viewer for any error logs that might provide more insight into the crashes when opening documents.

References:

Answer 4

Henry-N 6,810 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hi @R Singh,

Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum.

Regrading that you can't open word documents attached in an outlook email. To assist you effectively, I’d like to gather a few details first:

I noticed you posted this under the Business tag, so the steps provided are for business accounts. If your issue is actually with a personal email account, could you confirm that so I can adjust my guidance accordingly?
Which version of Microsoft Office are you using (e.g., Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise, Office 2021)?
Does this issue affect all users in your organization or only specific individuals?
When Word crashes, do you see an error message or event log entry? If so, please share the details.
Is the problem occurring on all devices or only certain ones?
Are the attachments sent by internal users within your organization or external senders?

Thank you again for your time and understanding. While my initial response may not resolve the issue immediately, I’d like to gather more details about your situation so I can assist you more effectively.     

I really appreciate your patience, and I’m here to help. Looking forward to your response!         

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread   

RaGau 80 Reputation points

2025-12-12T17:03:24.1433333+00:00
here are my answers

I noticed you posted this under the Business tag, so the steps provided are for business accounts. If your issue is actually with a personal email account, could you confirm that so I can adjust my guidance accordingly? -----Business M365

Which version of Microsoft Office are you using (e.g., Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise, Office 2021)? ----------m365

Does this issue affect all users in your organization or only specific individuals? -----MOST OF THEM

When Word crashes, do you see an error message or event log entry? If so, please share the details. --------(in screenshot)

Is the problem occurring on all devices or only certain ones? ------- most of them

Are the attachments sent by internal users within your organization or external senders?-----external and internal
RaGau 80 Reputation points

2025-12-12T17:03:43.6866667+00:00
Henry-N 6,810 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-12-13T17:58:11.33+00:00

Hi @RaGau,
I just want to confirm are you the original poster following up from a different account? This will help me ensure that the troubleshooting steps remain consistent with our earlier discussion.

I also noticed that you’ve marked another response as the accepted answer. If that solution resolved your issue, that’s great! However, if you still need assistance or have any additional questions, please don’t hesitate to let me know. I’ll be happy to help further.

Thank you again for your time and for getting back to me earlier on this issue. I look forward to your confirmation.
R Singh 40 Reputation points

2025-12-14T15:34:15.87+00:00

I need the solution here if possible, not sure about other account etc
Charles Kenyon 160.1K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-12-14T16:34:12.9233333+00:00

Did you look at Graham Mayor's page?

It is asking for trouble to directly open Word documents attached to an email. If it is saved to the hard drive and then opened from that location, you do not have the trouble. This has been true of such attachments for many years.

You marked my response as the answer to your question; are you looking for something different?

No one here can change how word works.

No one who can sees what is written here.

This is a user-to-user forum. You are corresponding with your fellow users. We can tell you how to better use Word as it is. Graham's page is such advice.

People who can change Word never see what is posted here. To get their attention, use the Feedback mechanisms. Here is more information about how to do that and what to expect.

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/giving-feedback-on-microsoft-word-or-other/8df81a9b-84aa-46ef-bf88-24fb7fec96ba
Henry-N 6,810 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-12-16T05:03:47.9333333+00:00
Hi @R Singh,

I agree with Charles Kenyon’s advice it is correct and aligns with best practices for resolving this issue. Following his steps should help address the problem effectively.

To improve the customer experience and ensure this issue is reviewed by the Product Team, I recommend submitting your suggestion through the Microsoft Feedback Portal. This is the most effective way to reach the team responsible for product improvements. They actively monitor feedback, and many features have been developed or enhanced based on user input.

As a moderator, I don’t have the ability to directly change or influence Microsoft’s product design or service limitations.

How to Submit Your Suggestion

Visit the Microsoft Feedback Portal.

Go to Outlook · Community, click Send Feedback, and describe your proposal in detail.

After posting your feedback, feel free to share the link here. I’d be happy to vote for it, and I’m sure other users with similar concerns would appreciate the chance to support it too. Upvoting your post helps increase visibility so others who want the same feature can vote, and it may even get pinned for more attention.

Alternatively you could submitting feedback directly to the Microsoft product team through the Outlook app.

Thank you again for your time and understanding. I appreciate your patience, and I’m here to help. Looking forward to your response.

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Outlook and Word file attachment not opening or crash

3 additional answers

No one here can change how word works.

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