Something went wrong while the document preview was being created. Please try again later. Can't open files on Outlook

Dan Sandford 0 Reputation points
2026-10-06T12:20:57.0933333+00:00

Hi,

I am running Outlook PWA and can't open or see attachments on PC. I can download and see on phone. Get message:

Something went wrong while the document preview was being created. Please try again later.

Running Windows 10.

Any ideas? Thanks

Outlook | Windows | New Outlook for Windows | For business
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  2. Kristen Tran 2,120 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-10-06T12:59:18.02+00:00

    Hi Dan,

    Since you're able to open and download the attachments on your phone, the files themselves are likely accessible. The issue may be related to the New Outlook app, the browser environment, or a network-related restriction on your Windows 10 PC.

    To help narrow down the cause, please try the following:

    1. Open the same email in Outlook on the web using Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome and check whether the attachment can be previewed there.
    2. Test Outlook on the web in an InPrivate or Incognito window. If the attachment opens successfully, clear your browser's cache and cookies, then temporarily disable any extensions such as ad blockers, privacy tools, or download managers.
    3. Sign out of Outlook, close New Outlook and all browser windows, restart your computer, and then sign in again.
    4. Instead of selecting Preview, open the attachment menu and try using Download, Download all, Save to OneDrive, or Open in Word. For reference: Open, save, and edit attachments received in Outlook | Microsoft Support
    5. Test several different attachments and file types, such as PDF, DOCX, and XLSX:
      • If only one attachment fails, the file may be corrupted or unavailable for preview.
      • If only one file type is affected and Outlook indicates that access has been blocked, your Microsoft 365 administrator may need to review the Outlook on the web attachment policy.
    6. Temporarily connect your PC to a different network, such as a mobile hotspot. If the attachments can be previewed there, a VPN, proxy, firewall, or web-filtering service on the original network may be interfering with the preview process.

    I hope the information above is helpful. If you have any questions or would like to share the results of the troubleshooting steps, please feel free to let me know. I'll be happy to continue assisting you.

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  3. AI answer

    2026-10-06T12:21:11.0233333+00:00

    For Outlook on the web on a Windows 10 PC, the most relevant checks are:

    1. Test in a different browser or an InPrivate/Incognito window. If attachments open there, the issue is likely browser-related.
    2. If the same attachment works on the phone but not on the PC, try a different network on the PC, such as a mobile hotspot. If it works there, a firewall, proxy, or network restriction is likely interfering.
    3. If the issue affects only certain file types in Outlook on the web, the Outlook on the web mailbox policy may be blocking those file types. An admin can change the Outlook on the web mailbox policy to allow or block specific file types. Note that policy changes can take several minutes to take effect, and allowing blocked file types can increase security risk.
    4. If the mailbox policy cannot be changed, a supported workaround is to compress the file, such as into a .zip file, and send it as an attachment.
    5. If the issue is urgent, use another client as a workaround:
      • If classic Outlook is available, open or download the attachment there.
      • For some Exchange Server OWA scenarios, using the OWA light version by adding ?layout=light to the additional mailbox URL is a documented workaround.

    If this is classic Outlook rather than Outlook on the web, and the problem is previewing Office attachments on Windows 10, make sure the Windows Firewall service is running:

    1. Press Windows key + R.
    2. Type services.msc and select OK.
    3. In Services, right-click Windows Firewall and select Properties.
    4. Set Startup type to Automatic and select OK.
    5. Right-click Windows Firewall and select Start.

    Also in classic Outlook, verify preview is enabled:

    1. Go to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings.
    2. Select Attachment Handling.
    3. Make sure Turn off Attachment Preview is not enabled.
    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

    Was this answer helpful?

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