The following add-ins will help you manage the attachments you receive on an email. Most of these tools are used in Outlook; a few are for use with Exchange server.
Many of these utilities will remove attachments from the email message and can replace them with links to the attachment on your hard drive, allowing you easy access to the attachment while keeping your mailbox or personal folders smaller.
You can use VBA to save attachments to the hard drive. See Save Attachments for sample code to save attachments the delete them from the message, or Save Attachments to the hard drive to save the attachments but not delete them from the message.
Others will remind you to add attachments (and subject lines) to outgoing email, compress (zip) attachments, or allow you to unblock attachments blocked by the security features of Outlook 2000 and higher.
See More Information for links to VBA Samples to save attachments and check for missing attachments and blank subject lines.
Tools in the Spotlight
The Attachment Forget-Me-Not Outlook add-in scans each outgoing email for phrases like "see attached" or "draft version". It then asks you if you meant to attach a file before sending the email, giving you a chance to insert the attachment. Version 4.0 is being released that works with both Outlook 2010 32-bit and Outlook 2010 64-bit. |
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Sperry Software's Attachment Save Add-In for Outlook saves emails and/or attachments to your Windows folders, either all at once (in a batch) or as they arrive. It also now has support for Outlook 2010, both 32-bit and 64-bit. In addition, Sperry Software now has fully functional 14-day trial versions on its entire product line. |
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Attachments Processor allows extracting attachments from the incoming messages and save them to your hard disk (extracted attachments are replaced in the incoming message with a link to the file on the disk or a text file with an attachment description as well and a link to it). Attachments Zip Compressor: allows automatic archiving the attached files by ZIP both for incoming and outgoing messages. It can create self-extracting archives and password-protected archives. Blocked Attachments management: utility for managing the list of attachment types, which are blocked by the Outlook security system. |
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Sperry Software's Print On Demand add-in for Outlook is being released for Outlook 2010. The add-in places convenient print buttons on the Outlook toolbar so that you can simply select the emails and/or attachments you want to print then click the Print Email, Print Attachments, or Print Both buttons. This new version now works with Outlook 2010, both 32-bit and 64-bit. |
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Use Rename Attachments to automatically rename attachments (in place) when sending or receiving emails. |
Tools
A free active directory reporting tool with a user friendly interface and over 140 predefined reports, as well as the option to create your own. AD Info has been designed to be easy to use, fast, and flexible - enter your own values 'on the fly' for many of the predefined queries (as well as your own custom queries). AD Info has a "Members Of Specified Group" query that lets you specify any group in your domain. Query results are exportable to CSV, TXT, or HTML format. |
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Advanced Z-OptimiZr provides Outlook with automatic attached file volume-reduction features: +Native XML File Optimization for all MS Office Files: To reduce the size of docx, pptx, xlsx and other xml files. +Native Image File Optimization: For image files like JPG, PNG, BMP. +Native Pasted Image Optimization: For images pasted into emails. +Zip Compression: For files that cannot be optimized natively (other than MS Office and image files). +also included: Attached file PDF conversion. Attached file encryption. |
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Attach Plus improves the way businesses send e-mail attachments by reducing the time and complexity it takes to PDF, ZIP and password protect attachments. Zip attachments or convert them to PDF format and password protect them before sending, automatically. Version 2.2.7 |
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Attach2Cloud Automatically uploads and shares your Outlook attached files on OneDrive and replaces them by OneDrive shortcuts in your emails at the time you click on Send. Thanks to Attach2Cloud, you can now attach files up to 15 GB unit size to your Outlook emails without any email size limit. These files will be automatically uploaded to OneDrive and shared with the recipients of your emails. Attach2Cloud also enables you to set OneDrive permissions, target folder and elapsing dates to the attached files to upload. |
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Attach2Link replaces large attachments with a "blind-link" in the message and stores the original file on a website through an FTP transfer or Web-http transfer. Slimmed down messages can be sent without fear of rejection and local storage space is dramatically reduced as attachments are replaced by a link to a file remotely stored. |
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Attachment management addin for Outlook enables you to detach attachments and embedded images as files in a local or network drive and link them up within the emails, for easy reference and retrieval. Remove links and re-attach files back when required, or when replying or forwarding the emails. You can also set Attachment Manager to monitor any number of mail-enabled folders and mailboxes to automatically detach incoming emails, with no manual intervention. You can set the addin to skip detachment of certain attachments. |
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COM add-in by Outlook MVP Ken Slovak that adds an Attachment Security Options page to the Tools, Options dialog in Outlook 2000 SP3 or higher to allow you to manage which file attachments are blocked. New version adds support for the .gadget extension for Outlook 2003 SP3 and Outlook 2007 SP1. It also adds detection for those SP levels. Shareware. Version 1.9.6 |
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Attachment Save for Exchange Server 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013 automatically processes emails and attachments. Save or delete messages and attachments while messages are sent and received through Exchange server. Using Exchange attachment manager, you can block, remove, or save attachments. Provides a system of rules with conditions, actions and exceptions for processing incoming and outgoing messages and attached files. Attachment Save for Exchange consists of two components: Management Console and transport agents set on Exchange servers. |
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"Outlook blocked access to the following potentially unsafe attachment ..." If you get this message when attempting to access an Outlook email attachment you'll want to install Attachment Security for Outlook; a free program for unlocking attachments blocked by Outlook. Attachment Security for Microsoft Outlook is a free and easy to use software program that allows you to open attachments blocked by Microsoft Outlook e-mail security. |
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Topalt Attachment2File is a simple and easy to use tool for extracting attachments in Microsoft Outlook. It removes Outlook attachments (saves them to files) and replace them with links to the files. |
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Maintains mail history information in the original files on your system, so you don't need to keep the messages around just to know what you mailed to whom. Replaces attachments on sent messages with a link to the file on your hard drive. |
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EEAttachments can export and process your attachments of your Exchange-Mailboxes. It is e.g. helpful to process PDF invoices. It takes usage of the EWS and can be installed directly on the Exchange or on a client. You can make Connections to one or more user mailboxes. |
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Save attachments as system files either as part of a Rules Wizard rule or manually, from either a folder view or the Advanced Find window. Can create subfolders to organize attachments by sender or date, pass an attachment to a script or other program, add a link in messages to point to the detached file, filter on attachment names, and automatically zip or unzip attachments. Version 5.5.1.327. |
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FileBucket enables users to seamlessly send emails with many file attachments from within Outlook. Send and receive large files without having to be concerned about the receivers or your own email server restrictions. Receive download alerts and send requests for data from others. No logging into websites or waiting for uploads to complete, FileBucket works in the background allowing you to monitor the upload queue as you wish. FileBucket is available for free with subscription options available |
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Kernel Attachment Management is an add-in utility that processes and saves attachments of incoming and existing emails as per specified criteria and also leaves a link to the saved location for easy accessibility. Fully functional free trial of the software is also available for the period of 30 days. |
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Mail Attender provides comprehensive content management in PST files (personal storage folders) on desktops/servers, mailboxes and public folders. With MA Enterprise, administrators can distribute/enforce common policies, archive data and search content in multiple information stores from a central web interface. Also, can track statistical information such as total message/attachment count, size and type while tracking usage of individual users. Works with Exchange 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013 and Office 365. |
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Save&Share's Outlook plugin gives users the ability to copy selected messages directly from their inbox to cloud storage. Messages are stored in three components: 1) original .eml format; 2) message.pdf conversion; and 3) any attachments in original format. Cloud Storage services supported: Box, Google Drive, DropBox. |
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Memba Velodoc Outlook Add-in lets you send large files directly from Outlook using a variety of file transfer server platforms including Velodoc Enterprise Edition, Velodoc XP Edition, FTP servers, UNC file shares, Microsoft Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) servers and Amazon S3. |
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Opening attachments will leave a copy behind on the device (PC/Phone/Tablet). Messageware AttachView ensures your confidential documents are safe by converting them into secure web pages that do not remain. In addition, users can safely view over 400 attachment file types without the native app. AttachView gives Exchange Administrators granular control over security settings such as the ability to view, open, print, or save documents, and much more, to prevent corporate data exposure and leakage. |
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OutDisk for Outlook automatically uploads files to your FTP server, with no user knowledge of FTP required. OutDisk insulates users from the complexities of FTP. Once setup, the user selects files in a manner that's very similar to using OutDisk's paperclip to attach files to an email. Multiple users can share one FTP account. Each user can have a unique "working" directory. OutDisk will create a unique subdirectory for each email beneath the working directory. This adds security: by not co-mingling files, the recipient can only access the files that they are intended to access. |
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Outgoing Email Checker for Microsoft Outlook will check your emails before sending them for conditions you specify in the rules. You can create a rule using a template or start from scratch. This reminder add-in will help you avoid most common emailing mistakes: Get a reminder to add attachment to your email in Outlook, Avoid sending large messages, Enable Reply All warning and make sure you use the correct account, Remember to fill CC or BCC lines when necessary |
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Outlook Attachment and Picture Extractor can extract and save attachments out from Outlook 2000/XP/2003/2007. Save Outlook attachments and pictures into a directory of your choice. Shrink your *.PST file by removing attachments from mails. Version 1.6 |
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Free Outlook add-in for saving and extracting attachments, decreasing the size of your Outlook files. Version 2.1 |
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Delete all file attachments from an Outlook folder and subfolders in one operations. It can replace the link with the extracted attachment when sending or forwarding an email. Now supports exporting e-mails in various formats (also EML and MHT) or copy/move e-mails to another Outlook-folder with auto-creation of subfolders depending on the e-mail's data (sender, recipient...). |
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Extract just pictures or all attachments from items in any Outlook and save them to a system folder of your choice. Can optionally move processed items to a different Outlook folder. |
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Outlook Tweaks is a free utility that enhances Outlook features, including the ability to resize dialog boxes, enable or disable warnings, and specify an attachment folder. |
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OutlookAttachView scans all messages stored in Outlook and displays a list of all attached files that it finds. You can select one or more attachments and save all of them into the desired folder, as well delete unwanted attachments. You can also save the list of attachments into xml/html/text/csv file. Outlook 2003 and up; 32 and 64-bit supported. |
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Save Message is a MS Outlook add-in which can automatically save mails including attachments to the disk/net folder after emails arrive or are sent. Message body can be saved in plain, RTF, HTML or native Outlook format. There is a possibility to customize message header in the save file and to include attachments info to the saved file. Save Message can work with attachments which were included or embedded to the message or which were included to the message as OLE object. |
More Information
Housekeeping and Message Management Tools for Outlook
Housekeeping and Message Management Tools for Exchange Server
How to Save Email Messages to the Windows File System
Mail Tools for Outlook
Compose Tools for Outlook
VBA: Save Attachments to hard drive (Outlook-Tips.net)
VBA: Attachments: Save the selection to the harddisk (VBOffice.net)
VBA: Attachments: Delete the selection (VBOffice.net)
VBA: Check for subject before sending (VBOffice.net)
How to use VBA code samples
Hello Diane-
I'm using Outlook 2007 on a Windows 7 desktop. I often receive emails with other email messages (.msg) as attachments. I would like to creaete a rule that would extract these attachments and place them in an Outlook folder, not a Windows file folder.
All the add-ins I've seem here appear to be focused on saving attchments in Windows file folders rather than Outlook mail folders. I believe I need an Outlook Script or Custom Action (not sure which is the correct terminology) to do this.
Please advise whether you know of a way to do this, either via standard Outlook rule actions, an off-the-shelf add-in, or if I need to create my own custom add-in. I have an IT background, but have never programmed in VB and am not familiar with how to create add-ins.
Thanks for any advice you can provide.
I believe you would need to save it to the hard drive them import it into outlook. I have macros on the site that do each - you'd need to put them together.
Hi Diane.
My question is on setting up a default folder for Outlook to look into when I press the 'Attach file' button. At present, it opens a list of around 10 'recent items' (I don't know if it is recently used for attachments, or recently opened in their respective software, or recently created, etc.). If the file I want to attach is not on that list, it gives me the option 'Browse this PC'. It is here that I would like it to point to a specific folder on my PC. However, it seems to usually (but not always?) default to the "C:\Windows\System32" folder, for reasons I cannot understand. Is there a way of forcing it to always default to my chosen folder (namely "D:\Data") through the Registry?
You can't set it in the registry. It should default to the last used folder - or has in the past - or the Documents folder. Are you accessing files in that folder?
Try this: browse to your desired folder and add a file to a new message. Save the message as a draft then close outlook and restart. Does it default to the last used folder?
I did exactly as you asked me to try, and the answer is no: it did not default to the last used folder, i.e., the one (D:\) from which I chose the file to attach to the message I had saved to the Drafts folder before closing and re-starting Outlook. Instead, it defaulted to a sub-folder of that directory (D:\Word\), which was the one 'offered' to me when I wanted to attach the file from the parent (D:\) directory on the message created on the previous session of Outlook.
My question about setting it on the Registry is because I thought that Outlook must extract 'instructions' on which directory to use when the 'Browse this PC' is chosen, from 'somewhere' and I thought such somewhere is always the Registry. Isn't this the case? Can't one write/edit a key on the Registry giving instructions for Outlook to always use a specific folder when the Browse this PC option is chosen? Or maybe a Macro in Outlook itself?
Outlook keeps the last used folder in memory and should go back to Documents (or the default folder in Word if you changed it). You can't have a different Insert Attachments folder for Outlook - the office apps all use the same folder. Check Word's Options - Save dialog to see what is set there.
You can set a different Save Attachments folder by editing the registry. (When i did that and saved a file, the Insert attachment defaults to System32 the next time i go to insert a file.)
I recommend pinning the folders you use most to the Quick Access/Favorites list in Windows Explorer - everything is a click away.
It looks like this might be a bug - it should be fixed in an upcoming build (8/18 if using Insider build, Sept for most subscriptions.)
Thank You for all your research. I have one question. Do any of these solutions run as a service. I am looking to have this process run without leaving Outlook open. We created a system to do this in Lotus Notes but we are switching to Outlook. I like Outlook so much better. I just don't want to leave it open all the time.
No, they do not run as a service. Sorry.
This article seems well researched, informed and it certainly is complete. In fact it is so complete that I have difficulty to pick out the best Outlook 10 email attachment manager. Could you please suggest the best plug-in? Or the best 2 or 3 plug-ins? My main goal is to reduce my pst file as Outlook has started to become unresponsive. I also care about functionality (Userr friendly), reliability (not slowing down or crashing Outlook) and compatibility (if I should upgrade to Outlook 2016).
Any of the addins in the Tools in the Spotlight section are good. As for user friendly and functionality, that is in the eyes of the user. :) My needs might not be your needs.
Let me say I am VERY WARY of shareware & Freeware and have the trainwreck experiences to justify it.
Outlook Attachment Remover will do the trick is kick-ass!
It installs easily-runs fast- and has zero impact on resources.
Has many options on how to process the attachments including full removal, archiving to a folder on your hard disk or deleting. I am an IT Recruiter and process THOUSANDS of important doc. I downloaded this tool this morning and turned it loose. This thing has burned through over 40K attachments in a few hours with ZERO duplication no restarts or freezes.
If you want to downsize your PST it will make it happen!
In Outlook 2013:
1) Is there an add-in or way to block sending emails with attachments that have specific words in the file name?
2) Is there an add-in or way to block sending emails with attachments that have specific words in the attachment?
That would be content control - although mostly, it's an exchange server-side feature (so users can't disable it). You can use an 'after sending' rule or a macro in outlook to warn if you don't have a lot of keywords to search, or an addin if you have a long list of words. Offhand, i can't think of any content control addins for outlook, but what few there are would be on the exchange list - https://www.slipstick.com/addins/content-control-tools-for-exchange-server/
Thank you, I managed to resolve the issue, after manaul rip of Outlook from registries and then online repair, and it worked !
Diane I am happy that you replied so quickly ! wow ! yes the documents are already saved. well can we talk on lync if possible ?
Sorry, I don't use Lync. Free support is available here or in Outlook forums . I offer paid support using GoToMeeting.
Hi, I have office 2013 pro plus /outlook/imap profile/Godadday
open a word document>file>share>share as attachment
and when i add a body to the Email and send it, the person recessives the email and only attachment is shown. there is no body (No message)
It only happnens when we add signature or right text in HTML format, the plain text is visible.
if you click Save before sending, do they see the content in the body?