How to Fix Hotmail Attachment Document Preview Error
Question details
The user is unable to preview attached documents in Hotmail and receives an error stating 'Something went wrong when the document preview was created.'
- Product
- Hotmail
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to preview a document attachment directly within the Hotmail or Outlook.com web interface.
- Observed behavior
- The web preview fails to load and displays a specific error message instead of showing the attached document's contents.
Before troubleshooting your browser settings, verify that your internet connection is stable and ensure that the sender did not accidentally attach a corrupted file.
Download the Attachment and Open Locally
The fastest way to bypass the web preview error is to download the document and open it using a desktop office application.
Web-based document previews can sometimes fail due to temporary server issues or complex document formatting. Downloading the file locally ensures you can view the document exactly as it was intended without relying on the web interface.
Open the email containing the attachment in Hotmail. Hover your mouse cursor over the attachment icon or preview box.
Click the 'Download' arrow icon that appears on the attachment to save the file to your computer.
Navigate to your computer's 'Downloads' folder, double-click the file, and open it using your default desktop office application.
Clear Browser Cache and Cookies
Accumulated cache and cookie data can interfere with Hotmail's document preview scripts. Clearing this data can restore the preview functionality.
Use an Alternative Browser or Incognito Mode
Browser extensions or compatibility issues might be blocking the Hotmail preview feature.
Open Your Email Attachments Instantly with WPS Office
If Hotmail's web preview continues to fail, downloading the file is the most reliable workaround. WPS Office provides a lightweight, free, and highly compatible desktop suite to effortlessly view and edit all your downloaded email attachments without expensive subscriptions.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website to download and install the free office suite.
- 2. Download your attachment: Save the problematic email attachment from Hotmail to your local computer.
- 3. Open with WPS: Double-click the downloaded file to instantly open and view it in WPS Office.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Hotmail say 'Something went wrong' when previewing a document?
This error usually occurs due to browser cache conflicts, unsupported file types, temporary Microsoft server outages, or strict browser extensions (like ad-blockers) interfering with the web preview scripts.
Can I preview password-protected documents in Hotmail?
No, Hotmail's web preview feature cannot open encrypted or password-protected documents. You must download the file and open it locally using a desktop office application to enter the password.
What file formats are supported for Hotmail attachment previews?
Hotmail natively supports previewing standard Office files (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), PDFs, and common image formats. If the file is in an older, specialized, or uncommon format, you will need to download it to view it.
How can I tell if an email attachment is corrupted?
If you download the attachment and your desktop office software also displays an error stating the file is unreadable, damaged, or cannot be opened, the file is likely corrupted. You will need to ask the sender to re-send the document.
