I Can't Open Office 2007 Documents in Outlook

Resolve the problem where Outlook won't display Office 2007 documents.

Office 2007 users frequently use Outlook as a way to distribute documents. Attaching a document or documents to an email message is a fast and easy way to distribute that document to whoever needs to view it. However, sometimes Outlook has problems viewing attached Office 2007 documents. There are a few possible causes for this problem, so there are a few different things to try to find out why you can't open Office 2007 documents in Outlook.

Things You'll Need

• Computer running Outlook

Instructions

1. Determine which version of Outlook you are using. Outlook 2007 and later are capable of previewing Office 2007 documents that are attached to messages. If you have an earlier version of Outlook, you cannot open Office 2007 documents. Instead, you must save the attachment, then open it using the associated Office 2007 application.

2. Determine whether Outlook is blocking the attachment. If you see a warning that begins: "Outlook blocked access to the following potentially unsafe attachments:" at the top of the message or Reading Pane, Outlook is blocking access to that attached Office 2007 document.

   Normally, Outlook will not block access to Office 2007 attachments. However, the Exchange Server Administrator or other persons responsible for the email system can configure Outlook so attached Office 2007 documents are blocked. Consult with these individuals to determine if this is the cause of the problem and if they can grant you permission to view Office 2007 attachments.

3. Request that the sender rename the Office 2007 attachment. Outlook blocks attachments based on their file extension---the part of the filename after the period. By sending the Office 2007 documents to you with a file name that includes an extension that is not blocked, you can receive the attachments in Outlook. To view the attached Office 2007 document, you will have to save it, rename it with the proper file extension, then view it with the appropriate Office 2007 application.

Tips & Warnings

• Whether Outlook blocks or allows access to an attached Office 2007 document is unrelated to whether or not that particular document is safe to view. Attached Office 2007 documents have the potential to infect your computer with a virus or otherwise cause you problems. Be sure that your computer is running an anti-virus / anti-malware program before you start viewing attachments.

References

• Living With Outlook: Preview Attachments to Messages
• Microsoft Support: You may receive an "Outlook blocked access to the following potentially unsafe attachments" message in Outlook