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CEverly's avatar
CEverly
Copper Contributor
May 24, 2023

Opening PDF attachments in Outlook to default PDF viewer

My Outlook was updated to the newest version a few days ago and I'm having issues with opening PDF attachments in my default PDF viewer.  Before, you could click the attachment in the email and get a...
NikolinoDE's avatar
NikolinoDE
Gold Contributor
May 25, 2023

CEverly 

You can try adjusting the attachment handling settings in Outlook to restore the previous behavior. Here is how you can do it:

  1. Open Outlook and go to the "File" tab at the top left corner of the window.
  2. In the File menu, click on "Options."
  3. In the Outlook Options window, select the "Trust Center" tab.
  4. Click on the "Trust Center Settings..." button.
  5. In the Trust Center window, select the "Attachment Handling" option on the left side.
  6. Under the "Attachment and Document Previewers" section, locate the entry for PDF files (extension .pdf) and make sure it is set to "Adobe Acrobat Document" or your preferred PDF viewer.
  7. If the correct program is already selected, you can try toggling the setting off and back on by unchecking and rechecking the checkbox.
  8. Click "OK" to save the changes and close the Trust Center window.
  9. Click "OK" again to close the Outlook Options window.

Once you have adjusted these settings, try opening a PDF attachment in Outlook again. It should now open in your default PDF viewer instead of just displaying the preview. You should be able to review the attachment in detail, rotate pages, and perform other functions available in your PDF viewer.

 

If the issue persists, you may need to check if there are any specific settings or updates related to your PDF viewer software that could be affecting the attachment handling in Outlook.

ds_user's avatar
ds_user
Brass Contributor
Jun 19, 2023

NikolinoDE This should work for the "Old Outlook for Windows". How can we solve the same problem in the "New Outlook for Windows"?

  • NikolinoDE's avatar
    NikolinoDE
    Gold Contributor
    Jun 19, 2023
    Please add more information on this. Outlook version, operating system, OneDrive version, which PDF software is used by default, etc.
    • ds_user's avatar
      ds_user
      Brass Contributor
      Jun 19, 2023
      Thanks for your quick reply! Here is the additional information:
      Microsoft Outlook Version 1.2023.607.100 (Production)
      Windows 11 Home
      OneDrive version is not relevant. I do not want to upload the PDFs to OneDrive.
      Default PDF viewer: PDF-XChange Editor version 9.0
      • NikolinoDE's avatar
        NikolinoDE
        Gold Contributor
        Jun 19, 2023

        ds_user 

        I have guided the topic through two different AI's because I am not familiar with the PDF-XChange Editor Version 9.0 and its possibilities or effects under Windows 11. Here are a few suggestions from the AI's software.

         

        1. Adjust default program settings: Confirm that your default PDF viewer settings are correctly set in Windows 11. To check and modify default program settings
          • Go to the "Settings" app in Windows 11.
          • Click on "Apps" and then select "Default apps" from the left menu.
          • Scroll down and locate the section "Choose default apps by file type."
          • Find the .pdf file extension and change the selected pdf viewer in the Edge Browser and see if then works. If works your PDF viewer haves a problem.
        2. Clear Outlook temporary files: Clearing temporary files associated with Outlook might help resolve any cached data causing the issue.
          • Close Outlook.
          • Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
          • Type %localappdata%\Microsoft\Outlook and press Enter.
          • Delete all the files and folders within the Outlook folder.
          • Restart Outlook and check if the issue persists.
        3. Repair or reinstall Outlook: If the problem continues, consider repairing or reinstalling Outlook.
          • Go to "Apps & features" in the Windows Settings app.
          • Locate Microsoft Outlook in the list of installed apps.
          • Click on "Advanced options."
          • In the new window, click on "Repair" and follow the on-screen instructions.

         

        Here I am also at my wits end. Hope this information helps you.

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