Why Can't I Open An Email Attachment? - 7 Possible Reasons Why You Can't Open An Email Attachment

Date First Published: 9th March 2023

Topic: Computer Networking

Topic: Network Services

Article Type: Computer Questions & Answers

Difficulty Level: 3/10

Learn about why you can't open an email attachment in this article.

If you regularly send and receive emails, then it is likely that you have experienced problems with opening email attachments before. There are times when you simply cannot open an email attachment. This can have a negative impact on productivity and become a big problem, especially if the email attachment contains important files, such as invoices, bank statements, and other important company information. This article will explore 7 possible reasons why you can't open an email attachment and how to fix them.

1. Unknown File Format

This is the most common reason why you can't open an email attachment. For example, if someone sends you a .rar file by email and you don't have a program installed on your computer that can unzip those files, you would have to download a special program that is capable of unzipping the files inside, like WinRAR. Not all file formats come with programs preinstalled. To fix this issue, you can ask the sender to attach the file in a different format that your computer recognises or if you think you will come across this unfamiliar file format more often, you should download and install a program that can open these files. Examples of common file extensions sent by email are:

• .doc or .docx - Microsoft Word document. Can be opened with Microsoft Word, OpenOffice, and Google Docs.
• .xls or .xlsx - Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. Can be opened with Microsoft Excel, OpenOffice, and Google Sheets.
• .ppt, .pps, or .pptx - Microsoft PowerPoint presentation. Can be opened with Microsoft PowerPoint, OpenOffice, and Google Slides.
• .pdf - Adobe PDF file that can be opened with a PDF reader, such as Adobe Acrobat.
• .zip, .rar, or .z - Compressed file. Must be uncompressed before the files can be viewed.
• .bmp - Windows bitmap file. Cannot be opened by all image editors.
• .jpg, .png, .jpeg, or .gif - Image file. Can be viewed by any image reader.
• .avi, .mov, .wmv, .mp4, or .mpg - Movie file. Requires a compatible media player to play.
• .mp3 - Audio file. Requires a compatible audio player to play.
• .exe - Executable file. Often used to install a program. Be careful when opening these files as they can contain viruses that harm your computer. This is why email providers often block the sending of .exe files.
• .html or .htm - HTML file. These types of files are used by webpages.

2. Compatibility Issues

Some operating systems might not be compatible with certain file types. For example, if an email attachment came from a Mac computer and it was not saved in a format that is compatible with Windows, you would not be able to open the attachment. Make sure that the sender knows the operating system you use before they send you an attachment.

3. Antivirus Programs

If you have an antivirus program installed on your computer, it might be blocking the attachment. Usually, antiviruses are good at blocking malicious attachments and this is a good thing, but they can also incorrectly identify attachments as malicious. If your antivirus blocks an attachment from downloading or opening and you are sure that it is safe, you can fix this issue by temporarily disabling your antivirus and adding an exception to your antivirus program. Make sure to turn your antivirus back on after viewing the attachments and adding an exception.

4. Incorrect File Extension Association

If the file extension is incorrectly associated with a file, you might not be able to open it. For example, a compressed file with the .png file extension will not be recognised by the program to decompress the file and the attachment will not open. To fix this issue, get the sender to send you the attachment again with the correct file extension association and then try to open the file again.

5. Outlook Add-ins

If you are using Microsoft Outlook, one of the add-ins might not be working correctly and preventing you from opening the email attachment. Try disabling some add-ins and then try to open the email attachment again. To do this, follow the steps below:

1. Click File > Options > Add-ins
2. Under Manage, click COM Add-ins.
3. Untick the add-ins that you think might be causing problems.
4. Once you have disabled the add-ins, click OK.
5. Close Microsoft Outlook and then reopen it to see if the problem has been fixed.

6. Problems With The Program

If you have the right program to open the file format and still can't open the attachment, then the file might not be corrupt. There might just be a problem with the program. It might be corrupt or outdated. Occasionally, the program might need to be repaired and outdated versions of it might no longer work. This means that you should try uninstalling and reinstalling it. This is a simple process, but will take time to complete, depending on the size of the program. If that doesn't work, you can try using another program.

This can also be caused by a problem with the email program rather than the program used to open the file format. The email program might be outdated or corrupt, so if you have tried a different program to open the file format and it still doesn't open, the email program might be corrupt or outdated. Try reinstalling or updating it and then try again.

7. Corrupt File

If you have followed all the steps above and you still can't open the email attachment, then it is very likely that the file was already corrupt before the sender sent you it as an attachment. When opening a corrupt file, you might see a notification saying that "the file is corrupt" or the program used to open the file format might crash. To fix this issue, reply to the sender to check whether it works on their computer. If not, get them to send a new email and attachment.

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