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Outlook and Word file attachment not opening or crash

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2025-12-12T12:26:11.8733333+00:00

We are having an issue where when trying to open word documents attached in an outlook email they are unable to open them. It either wont open at all or word opens for a few seconds and then crashes and closes word.

The workaround we have found for this is if they save the attached document then they are able to open this without issue but we dont want to have to save every document we receive.

If we were to untick "enable protected view for outlook attachments" within trust center settings then this also works but we need protected view enabled.

What I have noticed is that the affected user cant seem to open documents from the following path.

C:\Users\usename\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Outlook but have no issues opening word documents when saved to the one drive for example but this is already listed as a trusted location in word/outlook so they should be able to open documents from within here.

Note: I have tried resetting the outlook profile, I have tried clearing the contents of the content.outlook folder, we have tried deleting the outlook folder in regedit. I have also tried adding the full path for C:\Users\usename\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Outlook into the trust center settings rather than just having C:\Users\usename\AppData\ (with subfolders ticked) but none of these are working.

Need steps if you had similiar issue mentioned somewhere else

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For business | Windows
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  1. Q&A Assist
    2025-12-12T12:26:28.9066667+00:00
    AI generated content. This question contains an answer created with AI from Q&A Assist. Learn more

    It sounds like you're experiencing issues with opening Word documents attached in Outlook, particularly when they are located in the Content.Outlook folder. Here are some steps that may help resolve the issue:

    1. Check Windows Firewall Service: Ensure that the Windows Firewall service is running, as this can affect the ability to open attachments. To do this:
      • Press the Windows logo key + R to open the Run dialog.
      • Type services.msc and press Enter.
      • In the Services window, locate Windows Firewall, right-click it, and select Start if it is not running.
    2. Modify Protected View Settings: Since you mentioned that disabling Protected View allows documents to open, consider adjusting the settings instead of completely disabling it. You can do this by:
      • Opening Word, going to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Protected View.
      • Ensure that the option for enabling Protected View for files originating from the internet and unsafe locations is checked, but consider unchecking the option for Outlook attachments temporarily to test if it resolves the issue.
    3. Add Trusted Locations: Ensure that the C:\Users\usename\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Outlook path is added as a trusted location in Word. You can do this by:
      • Going to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Trusted Locations.
      • Click on Add new location and enter the path.
    4. Repair Office Installation: Sometimes, repairing the Office installation can resolve issues with file handling. To do this:
      • Go to Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features.
      • Select your Microsoft Office installation and choose Change > Repair.
    5. Check for Updates: Ensure that both Outlook and Word are updated to the latest version, as updates often contain fixes for known issues.

    If these steps do not resolve the issue, consider checking the event viewer for any error logs that might provide more insight into the crashes when opening documents.

    References:

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