Symptoms
- Cannot see the attachment using a desktop client. Showing in webmail.
Solution
Microsoft usually suggests the following troubleshooting steps when users face a situation like this. I'd recommend cross-checking if you've already tried any of these before moving forward:
- Check the Email Format: Sometimes, emails in Rich Text Format (RTF) can cause issues with attachments. Ask the sender to resend the email in HTML or Plain Text format.
- Clear the Outlook Cache:
- Cached files might be causing the attachments to not display correctly.
- To clear the cache, follow these steps:
- Close Outlook.
- Navigate to C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook.
- Delete all files in the Offline Address Books and Outlook folders (don't worry, these will be recreated by Outlook).
- Restart Outlook.
- Disable Add-ins:
- Some add-ins might interfere with attachments.
- In Outlook, go to File > Options > Add-ins.
- Click on Go next to "Manage: COM Add-ins".
- Uncheck all add-ins and restart Outlook to see if the attachments appear.
- Update Outlook:
- Ensure that Outlook is up to date. Go to File > Office Account > Update Options > Update Now.
- Check Internet Connection:
- Ensure you have a stable internet connection, as issues with syncing could prevent attachments from loading on your computer.
- Check antivirus or Security Settings
- In Outlook, go to File → Options → Trust Center → Trust Center Settings → Attachment Handling and uncheck "Turn off attachment preview" if enabled.
- Some antivirus software blocks certain attachments (like .exe, .zip).