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Unable to open or download attachment in Outlook with Salesforce for Outlook installed

Fecha de publicación: Jun 15, 2026
Descripción

Overview

This article explains how to resolve an error that occurs when a user is unable to open or download an attachment from Microsoft Outlook when Salesforce for Outlook (SFO) is installed.

Symptom

When attempting to open an attachment directly from Outlook, users see an error stating they are unable to create the file and should check the permissions on the folder they want to save it in.

Root Cause

In most cases, the folder permissions are not the actual issue. When you open an attachment directly from within Outlook, Outlook first saves a temporary copy of the file to a subfolder of the Temporary Internet Files folder. If that folder has reached its file limit, Outlook is unable to save the temporary copy and displays this error. Clearing the files in that temporary folder resolves the problem.

Solución

How to Resolve the Unable to Open Attachment Error in Outlook

Follow the steps below to locate and clear the Outlook Secure Temporary Files folder.

Step 1 — Exit Microsoft Outlook

Close Outlook completely. If Outlook continues to run in the background, open Task Manager using the Ctrl+Alt+Del keyboard shortcut, go to the Processes tab, and end the OUTLOOK.exe process.

Step 2 — Close Salesforce for Outlook

Right-click the SFO icon in the System Tray at the bottom-right corner of your screen and click Exit.

Important Warning — Registry Editor

The following steps require using the Windows Registry Editor. If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that require reinstalling your operating system. Before proceeding, back up the Windows registry or ask an IT team member to perform these steps on your behalf. For registry backup instructions, see the Microsoft support article at <REDACTED>

Step 3 — Locate the Outlook Secure Temporary Folder via Registry Editor

The path to the Outlook Secure Temporary Files folder is stored in the Windows Registry. Use the table below to find the correct registry key for your version of Outlook:

Outlook VersionRegistry Key
Outlook 2010HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Outlook\Security
Outlook 2013HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Outlook\Security
Outlook 2016HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\Security

Open Registry Editor by pressing the Windows Key + R, then typing REGEDIT in the Run window and pressing Enter. Alternatively, type REGEDIT in the Start search box.

Step 4 — Copy the Folder Path

In Registry Editor, navigate to the key for your Outlook version using the table above. Double-click the OutlookSecureTempFolder entry and copy the value shown in the Value Data field.

Step 5 — Open the Temporary Folder

Paste the copied path into the address bar of any open Windows Explorer window or into the Windows Run dialog, then press Enter to open the folder.

Step 6 — Delete All Files in the Folder

Select all files in the folder and delete them.

Step 7 — Restart Microsoft Outlook

Restart Outlook. You should now be able to open or save attachments without the error.

Número del artículo de conocimiento

000386333

 
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Salesforce Help | Article