how do i find an attachment in my email thread- which was there originally , in the thread

Mazhar Hussain 0 Reputation points
2026-10-05T11:08:57.59+00:00

Where is my attachment in the email thread, it was there in the original thread , but looking back into it, it is missing or non visible .

Outlook | Windows | New Outlook for Windows | For business
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  1. Demi Nguyen 2,330 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-10-05T11:33:51.09+00:00

    Hello Mazhar Hussain,

    Thank you for explaining the issue.

    Please refer to the AI-generated answer in this thread and try the suggested search and filtering options. In Outlook, an attachment remains linked to the specific message where it was originally added. It is not automatically included in later replies within the same conversation, so you may need to expand the thread and open the original message that contains the attachment. For your reference: Find all messages with attachments in Outlook | Microsoft Support

    If you still cannot locate the file, could you please check the same conversation in Outlook on the web and confirm whether the attachment is visible there?

    Please also confirm whether this happens only with this specific email thread or with every conversation containing attachments. It would also be helpful to check whether the original message has been moved to another folder, such as Archive, Sent Items, Deleted Items, or another custom folder.

    If the attachment is available in Outlook on the web but not in New Outlook for Windows, the issue would be specific to the desktop application or its conversation view. If it is missing from both versions, the original message may have been moved, deleted, or stored in another folder.

    Please update me with the results. If possible, share a screenshot showing the expanded conversation after hiding all email addresses and other sensitive information.

    Kind regards,

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  2. AI answer

    2026-10-05T11:09:09.1233333+00:00

    In Outlook, attachments belong to the specific message where they were originally sent. When someone replies in the same conversation, the original attachment is not automatically shown again in later messages. That is expected behavior.

    To find the original attachment in New Outlook for Windows:

    1. Use the Search box at the top.
    2. Type a keyword related to the email, sender, or file name.
    3. Select Files to narrow the results to messages with attachments.
    4. If needed, select the filter button on the right side of the search box and check Attachments.
    5. Open the earlier message in the conversation that originally contained the file.

    Another option:

    1. In the message list, select Sort > Has files.
    2. This shows messages that contain attachments.

    If the attachment is missing only while reading a long conversation, that matches expected Outlook behavior: earlier attachments are tied to the original email, not displayed as part of every later reply in the thread.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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