Computer and Software Support


How to get Outlook to allow file attachments that are blocked

If you want to be able to receive a file attachment in Outlook with an .exe extension or other extension that is blocked by default, you currently can't do that. Outlook prevents them for the protection of your system. If you need to receive them in mail, choose the version of office you have and do the following

WARNING!!! This will open your system to the dangers of viruses. Be vary careful of what files you open in Outlook!!!

Office XP or 2002

  1. Make sure Outlook is closed
  2. Click Start
  3. Click Run
  4. Type REGEDIT
  5. Click on OK
  6. Double-click HKEY_CURRENT_USER
  7. Double-click Software
  8. Double-click Microsoft
  9. Double-click Office
  10. Double-click 10.0
  11. Double-click Outlook
  12. Double-click Security
  13. Click on Edit on the menu
  14. Click on New
  15. Click on String Value
  16. Name it Level1Remove
  17. Double-click Level1Remove
  18. Enter the filename extensions you want to allow such as exe (do not add the dot (.))
  19. Use a semicolon between each extension. Example....   exe;mdb;vbs to allow .exe, .mdb, and .vbs attachments
  20. Click OK
  21. Close REGEDIT
  22. Restart the computer

If you still can't receive the file attachment, you have entered the extension wrong.

WARNING!!! This will open your system to the dangers of viruses. Be vary careful of what files you open in Outlook!!!

Office 2003

  1. Make sure Outlook is closed
  2. Click Start
  3. Click Run
  4. Type REGEDIT
  5. Click on OK
  6. Double-click HKEY_CURRENT_USER
  7. Double-click Software
  8. Double-click Microsoft
  9. Double-click Office
  10. Double-click 11.0
  11. Double-click Outlook
  12. Double-click Security
  13. Click on Edit on the menu
  14. Click on New
  15. Click on String Value
  16. Name it Level1Remove
  17. Double-click Level1Remove
  18. Enter the filename extensions you want to allow such as exe (do not add the dot (.))
  19. Use a semicolon between each extension. Example....   exe;mdb;vbs to allow .exe, .mdb, and .vbs attachments
  20. Click OK
  21. Close REGEDIT
  22. Restart the computer

If you still can't receive the file attachment, you have entered the extension wrong.

WARNING!!! This will open your system to the dangers of viruses. Be vary careful of what files you open in Outlook!!!

Thanks to Annoyances.org for the above procedure