Attachments are not showing in Outlook on my computer, but they do show in Outlook on my phone.

Dan Sandford 0 Reputation points
2026-10-07T14:47:34.8466667+00:00

Hi, I've been having an attachment problem on one of my outlook accounts for the past 3-4 days. I cannot open any type of attachment on any PC (I have tried a few different PC's). I have also tried using Outlook PWA, on different browsers (Chrome, IE and Firefox) and Outlook New, but still the same problem. I have another email account, with the same set up, and that still works ok. (I have to forward all emails to the other account to open them at present, so bit annoying, but it is a work around).

The emails and attachments come through the outlook app on my phone ok, so the magic internet fairies are doing something to my attachments between my phone and PC...

Anyone got any ideas?

Thanks

Dan

Outlook | Windows | New Outlook for Windows | For business
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  1. Heimerdinger 710 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-10-07T15:02:22.7266667+00:00

    Hi @Dan Sandford,

    Thank you for providing those details.

    Based on your description, it appears that:

    • The issue affects only one specific Outlook account.
    • The problem occurs across multiple PCs and browsers, including Outlook on the web and New Outlook.
    • Another account works correctly on the same devices.
    • Attachments can still be opened on your mobile device.

    Since the behavior is isolated to a single account and persists across different devices and clients, this may indicate an account-specific service issue rather than a problem with your computer or browser.

    From what I've seen in recent community discussions, some users have reported similar symptoms affecting specific accounts. Because of that, I would recommend that your Microsoft 365 administrator report the issue directly to Microsoft so the service team can investigate.

    1. Sign in to the Microsoft 365 admin center.
    2. Go to Health > Service health.
    3. Select the Reported issues tab.
    4. Choose Report an issue and provide details about the affected account and attachment behavior. User Image

    From the troubleshooting you've already completed, this does not appear to be related to a specific PC, browser, or Outlook client. Having your administrator check for any related service incidents and submit a report to Microsoft would be the next recommended step.

    Thank you for your patience and understanding. I look forward to your update.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-10-07T14:47:51.94+00:00

    Because the issue affects only one Outlook account, happens across multiple PCs, browsers, Outlook on the web, and new Outlook, while another account works on the same setup, the pattern points to an account or mailbox-side issue rather than a device problem.

    Use this troubleshooting path:

    1. Test in an InPrivate/Incognito browser session.
      • Open Edge, Chrome, or Firefox in a private session.
      • Sign in to Outlook on the web and try the same attachment.
      • If it works there, clear the browser cache for the normal session.
    2. Check whether the problem affects:
      • only new emails or also older emails that previously worked
      • internal mail, external mail, or both
      • all attachment types or only some types
      • whether an error appears, or nothing happens
    3. Check mailbox storage status in Outlook on the web.
      • Go to Settings > Account > Storage.
      • Look for a warning such as Storage Full or Quota Exceeded.
      • If storage is flagged, attachment actions can be affected until the mailbox state is resolved.
    4. If the attachment is blocked by policy or file type, Outlook may prevent opening it.
      • Outlook blocks certain potentially unsafe attachment types.
      • For blocked types, a practical workaround is to have the sender compress the file, such as a .zip file, and resend it, or use OneDrive and send a link instead.
      • If this is a Microsoft Exchange account, an administrator can review whether the file type is blocked in Outlook on the web mailbox policy. Changing allowed or blocked file types can take several minutes to apply and increases security risk.
    5. Use the current workaround if urgent.
      • Since forwarding to the other account works, continue using that temporary path.
      • If the sender can resend the attachment, test the resent copy in case the original item is corrupted.

    Given the symptoms, if all file types fail only for this one mailbox across every PC and web client, escalation to the Microsoft 365 or Exchange administrator is the next step, because that strongly suggests a mailbox-specific server-side problem rather than an Outlook client issue.

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

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