Attachment Issues

How to Fix Outlook for Mac Attachments Not Opening or Downloading

Nimra Malik Oct 7, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user is unable to open or download email attachments using Microsoft Outlook for Mac, or downloaded files are not appearing in the expected destination folder.

How to Fix Outlook for Mac Attachments Not Opening or Downloading

Product: Microsoft Outlook for Mac
Device & OS: macOS
Scenario: Attempting to open, view, or download file attachments from received emails in Outlook.
Observed behavior: Attachments fail to open when clicked, or downloaded files do not appear in the designated download folder due to settings, cache issues, or permission errors.

Before you start

Before modifying your application settings, try logging into Outlook on the web to see if you can download the attachments there. This will help you determine whether the issue is specific to the Outlook for Mac app or your email account.

Solution 1Recommended

Verify Download Settings and Clear Attachment Cache

Check your designated download folder location and clear the Outlook cache to resolve syncing or pathing errors.

Sometimes Outlook for Mac loses track of the designated download folder, or the local attachment cache becomes corrupted. Verifying your preferences and clearing the cache forces the application to re-sync attachments properly from the server.

Check Attachment Download Location

Open Outlook for Mac. In the top menu bar, click on 'Outlook', then select 'Preferences'. Navigate to 'Accounts' and check your attachment download settings to ensure a valid folder is selected.

Verify Folder Accessibility

Open Finder on your Mac and navigate to the folder you identified in the previous step. Ensure the folder exists, is not locked, and that you have read and write permissions.

Clear Attachment Cache

Right-click the specific email folder (such as the Inbox) where the attachment issue is occurring, select 'Properties', and click 'Empty Cache'. This will force Outlook to re-download the folder's contents.

Synchronize the Folder

After clearing the cache, click the 'Sync' button or refresh your inbox to allow Outlook to pull fresh copies of your emails and attachments from the server.

Verify Download Settings and Clear Attachment Cache

Re-downloading emails: Emptying the cache will temporarily remove your downloaded emails from that specific folder, but they will automatically reappear as Outlook syncs with the Exchange or IMAP server.

Solution 2

Update Outlook and macOS System Software

Ensure that your Microsoft Outlook application and macOS are fully up to date to resolve known bugs.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Where are Outlook for Mac attachments saved by default?

By default, Outlook for Mac usually saves downloaded attachments to your macOS 'Downloads' folder. However, this destination can be customized or changed within the Outlook Preferences menu under Accounts.

Why do my Outlook attachments show up as winmail.dat files on my Mac?

This happens when a sender using a Windows version of Outlook sends a message using the proprietary Rich Text Format (RTF). To resolve this, ask the sender to change their email format to HTML or Plain Text and resend the attachment.

Can I open Microsoft Office attachments on my Mac without a paid subscription?

Yes. If you download Word, Excel, or PowerPoint files from your Outlook emails, you can use free Microsoft Office alternatives like WPS Office to open, view, and edit these files without a paid subscription.

Why is the 'Empty Cache' option grayed out in my Outlook?

The 'Empty Cache' option is only available for Exchange or IMAP accounts. If you are using a POP account, emails are downloaded locally and not synced with the server, so the cache cannot be cleared in this manner.

Outlook & Email Problems