How to Stop Windows Live Mail from Blocking Unsupported File Types in Attachments

If you use Windows Live Mail to send/receive emails, you might be aware of its attachment blocking feature. It doesn’t allow to send/receive some pre-defined file types as attachments. A few of them are as following:

.com
.hlp
.lnk
.msc
.scr
.vb
.chm
.cpl
.exe
.msi
.reg
.tmp
.bat
.cmd
.inf
.url
.vbs

Above are a few frequently used file types which are blocked by Windows Live Mail. Whenever you try to send a mail containing any of these file types, the mail is not delivered. Also if you receive a mail containing any of these file types, Windows Live Mail blocks the file and shows following message at top:

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Windows_Live_Mail_Blocking_Attachme.png

You can’t download the file as all options are disabled. If you want to fix this problem and want to disable this blocking feature, then follow these simple steps:

1. Press “ALT” key to show Menubar in Windows Live Mail and go to “Tools -> Safety options…“.

PS: If you are using wave 4 (2011) or later version of Windows Live Mail which comes with Ribbon UI, you need to click on File -> Options -> Safety options.

2. Now go to “Security” tab and uncheck the option “Do not allow attachments to be saved or opened that could potentially be a virus.

Disabling_Windows_Live_Mail_Blockin.png

Apply it and you have done.

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Now Windows Live Mail will no longer block any attachment and you’ll be able to send/receive any kind of file types in mails.

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Published in: Mobiles and Internet, Troubleshooting Guides

About the author: Vishal Gupta (also known as VG) has been awarded with Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional) award. He holds Masters degree in Computer Applications (MCA). He has written several tech articles for popular newspapers and magazines and has also appeared in tech shows on various TV channels.

Comments

NOTE: Older comments have been removed to reduce database overhead.

  1. Alan I have changed that option in security and it has had no effect. I still cannot download emails with attachments.

  2. Windows block any picture content from certain sites it also blocks emails and calls them phishing from twitter and my son at msn. Why I have gone to not junk mail add to safe sender, add to safe domain and it has absolutely not effect how can it be stopped

  3. I have recently received several emails through Windows Live Mail with enclosures that have been blocked and, except for two instances, I know who the emails and their enclosures were from and they have been as I might have expected. The “Do not allow .. ” section in WLM is unchecked and always has been so I can’t see why any of the enclosures have been blocked. I only mark senders as safe when asked if I want to do so in respect of commercial firms who I might expect to contact me. However in the case of the first two enclosures to be blocked the senders said they had not written to me at that time. I would not now like to mark any of my contacts on my address list as safe senders as the two I have mentioned would have got through. Since then I have had several more enclosures blocked in Windows Live Mail, but I have still been able to open them in Sky mail and they are what I would have expected from the senders. I would like the situation with regard to WLM to be resolved so that legitimate emails are not blocked in future. In the past I have often only been warned about suspicious emails which have been sent to the junk folder, but these have appeared to be harmless and deleted. I am sure I have not seen any notice about changes to the system. or similar warnings

  4. I have unchecked “block images”in Windows Live Mail 2012 but still cannot get any images and all my emails are in plain text.HTML has vanished.

  5. Although I have been sending jpeg attachments for years, suddenly I was blocked by Live Mail. I followed the repair suggested, and it worked a treat.

  6. Live Mail worked fine for me up until recently – I can no longer send compressed file attachments ( message shows in ‘sent’ folder but does’t arrive- no error message ). If someone tries to send me a message with a similar attachment it doesn’t arrive. Pictures I can send and receive. I tried the uncheck ‘do not allow attach etc’ but it didn’t work.

    Any ideas please ?

  7. I have the same issue. Emails from a safe sender that contain attachments have the attachment removed when they are received in Windows Live Mail. I’ve unchecked the option to always read email as plain text, as well as the option “Do not allow attachments…”. I’ve tried sending attachments as .pdf, .doc, and zip files with no success. I’ve also sent emails with screen captures in the body of the email. The emails are received but the attachments and screen captures are all removed.

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