This question from Outlook user wanted to know how to remove several attachments from a message in one step.

I want to keep sent messages but not the attachments. Is there an easier method than clicking on the attachment to delete it? Better yet, can I select several sent messages and remove the attachments from all of the messages?

Outlook doesn't have this functionality built in so you'll need to use an add-in or VBA, but yes, it can be done.

See Attachment Management Tools for Outlook for add-ins or More Information for additional macros, including code samples that can save the attachments to the hard drive before deleting them from the message.

This code will work with sent or received messages, in any folder. To use, add the code to the VBA editor, select the messages that you want to delete the attachment from and run it.

Sub DeleteAllAttachmentsFromSelectedMessages()
    Dim oAttachments       As Attachments
    Dim selItems            As Selection
    Dim oMsg              As Object
    Dim lngAttachmentCount  As Long
    
    ' Set reference to the Selection.
    Set selItems = ActiveExplorer.Selection
    
    '  Loop though each item in the selection.
    For Each oMsg In selItems
        Set oAttachments = oMsg.Attachments
        
        lngAttachmentCount = oAttachments.Count
        
    ' Loop through attachments until attachment count = 0.
        While lngAttachmentCount > 0
            oAttachments(1).Delete
            lngAttachmentCount = oAttachments.Count
        Wend
        
        oMsg.Save
    Next
    
    MsgBox "All Done. Attachments were removed.", vbOKOnly, "Message"
    
    Set oAttachments = Nothing
    Set selItems = Nothing
    Set oMsg = Nothing
End Sub

Remove Attachments From Forwards

A user needed to forward a message, but without the attachment and with the attachment name in the message body.

As written, this works with a selected message, not an open message.

You will need to set a Reference to the Microsoft Word Object Model in Tools, References.

Public Sub RemoveForward()
Dim oItem As MailItem
Dim oAtt As Attachment
Dim strAtt As String
Dim olInspector As Outlook.Inspector
Dim olDocument As Word.Document
Dim olSelection As Word.Selection

Set oItem = Application.ActiveExplorer.Selection.item(1)
strAtt = ""

For Each oAtt In oItem.Attachments
    strAtt = strAtt & "<<" & oAtt.FileName & ">> "
Next oAtt

   Dim oMsg As MailItem
   Set oMsg = oItem.Forward
   oMsg.To = "alias@address"
   oMsg.Display
    
    Set olInspector = Application.ActiveInspector()
    Set olDocument = olInspector.WordEditor
    Set olSelection = olDocument.Application.Selection

  olSelection.InsertBefore strAtt

For Each oAtt In oMsg.Attachments
    oAtt.Delete
Next oAtt
   
Set oItem = Nothing
End Sub

How to Use Macros

First: You will need macro security set to low during testing.

To check your macro security in Outlook 2010 and above, go to File, Options, Trust Center and open Trust Center Settings, and change the Macro Settings. In Outlook 2007 and older, it’s at Tools, Macro Security.

After you test the macro and see that it works, you can either leave macro security set to low or sign the macro.

Open the VBA Editor by pressing Alt+F11 on your keyboard.

To put the code in a module:

1. Right click on Project1 and choose Insert > Module
2. Copy and paste the macro into the new module.
3. Set a reference to the Word Object Model in the VBA editor's Tools, References dialog.
   
4. Customize the ribbon or Quick Access Toolbar to add a button to the macro for easy access.

More information as well as screenshots are at How to use the VBA Editor