Outlook - Unblock Attachments

This guide explains how to unblock file attachments in Microsoft Outlook if they are being restricted by content filters. This can help users access necessary files that are commonly blocked for security reasons.

Instructions

1. Check whether the file is actually blocked

   • Open the email and look near the top of the message. If Outlook shows a warning that says Outlook blocked access to the following potentially unsafe attachments, the file type has been blocked for security reasons. When this happens, Outlook does not allow you to open, save, print, or otherwise work with that attachment in Outlook.

2. If the attachment is visible, try the normal options first

   • If the file is visible in the email, select it and try the available options. Depending on the Outlook version you use, you may see options such as Preview, Open, Download, Download all, Save, or Save to OneDrive.

3. If the issue is only with preview in classic Outlook, check the preview setting

   1. Open Outlook.

   2. Click the File tab in the top-left corner.

   3. Select Options from the menu.

   4. In the Outlook Options window, choose Trust Center from the left-hand list.

   5. Click Trust Center Settings.

      Open

      

   6. In the Trust Center window, select Attachment Handling.

   7. If enabled, uncheck Turn off Attachment Preview to allow previews.

4. If the file type is blocked, ask the sender to share it another way

   1. Uploading the file to OneDrive or SharePoint and then sending a sharing link instead of attaching the file directly to the email is usually the safest and most reliable workaround for blocked attachment types.