• Outlook User
  • New Outlook app
  • Outlook.com
  • Outlook Mac
  • Outlook & iCloud
  • Developer
  • Microsoft 365 Admin
    • Common Problems
    • Microsoft 365
    • Outlook BCM
    • Utilities & Addins

Help! Every email I send has two unknown attachments

Slipstick Systems

› Outlook › Email › Help! Every email I send has two unknown attachments

Last reviewed on May 17, 2012     11 Comments

We occasionally get complaints from users that mail they send has two unknown attachments, usually named image001.wmz and image001.gif. When the attachments are viewed, they look like they could be used for bullets.

These are not caused by viruses, trojans, infections or anything nefarious. You do not need to run Detect & Repair. It simply means that you (or the sender) is using Word as the editor and have it configured to add a header, footer or otherwise customized the template. It can also mean you are using a stationery with a white or clear image.

Investigating the image

When you have an unknown image attached to a message, there are two things you can do to investigate. First, right click on the message and choose view Source. Look for images, HTML tags (such as background="cid:image001.gif or an img tag). This can give you an idea where the image is used.

For example, we can tell by looking at this code that the image is used for the background. We can also guess that the theme might have "Arctic" in the file name, based on the title tag.

<body bgcolor="white" background="cid:image001.gif@01CD3469.D1EB1F70" ><img src="cid:image001.gif@01CD3469.D1EB1F70" v:src="cid:image001.gif@01CD3469.D1EB1F70" v:shapes="_x0000_Mail" width="0" height="0" class="shape" style="display:none;width:0;height:0"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
 <v:background id="_x0000_s1025" o:bwmode="white" o:targetscreensize="1024,768">
 <v:fill src="cid:image001.gif@01CD3469.D1EB1F70" o:title="background_arctic" type="frame" />
 </v:background></xml><![endif]-->

This piece of HTML is near the top of the source code and confirms the stationery that was used.

<meta name="Microsoft Theme 2.00" content="Arctic 011">

If you want to see the image (in the example above, its a 50x50 white image), open the message and use Save as to save it in HTML format. This will create an HTML file and a matching folder on your hard drive. Look for the image in the matching folder.

How to fix the template

Close Word and Outlook. Locate Normal.dot template file on your file system and rename or delete it. Word will recreate the normal template the next time you open it. (If you have macros in Word, rename the template.)

In Windows 7 or 8, type or paste %appdata%\Microsoft\Templates into the address bar of Windows Explorer to open the Template folder and delete or rename Normal.dot. In Windows XP, it's at %USERPROFILE%\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates

Beginning with Outlook 2007, the email template is NormalEmail.dotm. It's stored in %appdata%\Microsoft\Templates too.

You can also fix it by turning off Word as the editor (Outlook 2003 and earlier). This setting is in Tools, Options, Mail Format tab.

Stationery

Small white or clear images may be added by your stationery. To check, go to Options, Mail and click on the Stationery and Fonts button. Are you using a theme?

Outlook Email Template History

Outlook 2003 is the only version that uses normal.dot as the email template. Previous versions of Outlook, when Word is used as the editor, use the email.dot template stored in C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICExx\1033. Unfortunately, this causes stability issues (understatement!) and many, many users disable Word as the email editor in the older versions.

In order to stabilize Word as an email editor, Outlook 2003 uses the normal template, the same template Word uses. This helped to reduce crashes but the law of unintended consequences popped up: when certain Word add-ins were installed, users were always asked to save the template. It was confusing because they did not make changes to the template. See Tip 341: Save Normal.dot? for more information about this annoyance.

With the introduction of only one email editor (Word) in Outlook 2007, the email template was renamed NormalEmail.dotm. This template is also used for Outlook 2010 and up.

Help! Every email I send has two unknown attachments was last modified: May 17th, 2012 by Diane Poremsky

Related Posts:

  • How to Create HTML Stationery for Outlook
  • To Change the Font on Incoming Messages
  • Office Updates Rename Templates
  • Templates are Converted to Plain Text Messages

About Diane Poremsky

A Microsoft Outlook Most Valuable Professional (MVP) since 1999, Diane is the author of several books, including Outlook 2013 Absolute Beginners Book. She also created video training CDs and online training classes for Microsoft Outlook. You can find her helping people online in Outlook Forums as well as in the Microsoft Answers and TechNet forums.

Subscribe
Notify of
11 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Darren (@guest_218899)
November 19, 2021 7:30 pm
#218899

Hi, I think it has to do with how you transfer your content into the blank email template. Usually this issue happens when I copy and paste directly into an email and then send that version out. As an experiment, first save the email in a folder. Once this has been saved attach this to another as an attachment to your email and send to yourself. There should be no errors at this point, and you can check for yourself. Then with the attachment you receive, go to the tools menu above and try to forward the email to whoever you want or yourself. See if it works.

0
0
Reply
Daz (@guest_218890)
November 17, 2021 4:12 pm
#218890

This usually has to do with something in the email itself. What you could do is before sending the email, is to send it to yourself. Then with the version that you receive, click on the drop-down option for the attachment and select 'remove attachment'. Then copy and paste the contents of your original message to a new blank email and send this. The email should go through without the attachments. Usually, nothing important has been removed from the message.

0
0
Reply
Jackie (@guest_214500)
December 19, 2019 11:20 am
#214500

I have found that this has to do with the image that is in the signature. we had a version where when you pasted the logo image into the signature template it did not show, but when you sent an email it added the image in the signature as well as 2 attachments for the image as a png file and a wmz file. I replaced our image with an alternate image in the signature template and the problem went away. No more image attachments for the Logos.

0
0
Reply
hsh (@guest_194792)
November 19, 2015 9:26 am
#194792

works!

0
0
Reply
Snakeetr (@guest_188265)
December 20, 2014 12:23 am
#188265

Is there no fix to this issue. I have tried so many things to get rid of the .wmz file. However no luck. If anyone has found a solution out there. Please share with us.

0
0
Reply
Diane Poremsky (@guest_188315)
Reply to  Snakeetr
December 29, 2014 12:20 am
#188315

Did you verify bullets or other elements are not in the template's header or footer?

0
0
Reply
Nihlistdoctor (@guest_192998)
Reply to  Snakeetr
August 29, 2015 3:14 pm
#192998

The only solutions that I can find: (1) Don't use outlook... yea not a solution (2) Only use plain text e-mails... another non-solution (3) Make sure you don't have an image in your signature, or in your word template normal.dot. And yes Outlook can use normal.dot to render text in an outgoing HTML e-mail. But this will only work if you don't attach images, office documents, and/or a lot of other file types, to your e-mail when your using HTML emails. Once an e-mail has a .wmz file in it, if you forward it, it will replicate. This is a behaviour of Outlook. It's trying to make sure the person you're sending to can read/view the attachments you made to an e-mail. I agree it's unacceptable behaviour but I haven't found a way to make outlook stop doing it. Some e-mail servers and some virus programs will filter them on outgoing e-mails but that's not really a solution. On the up side it's not a virus (keep reading though) BUT a virus can be included in these files as they do/can contain scripting. Bottom line, it's a bad behaviour in outlook. I call it a bug and my solution is… Read more »

0
0
Reply
Diane Poremsky(@diane-poremsky)
Author
Reply to  Nihlistdoctor
August 29, 2015 10:21 pm
#193000

does the template you are using have a header or footer configured? That will cause the wmz file. It's not to make sure the person can read the mail, its due to elements in the template that are not supported in email.

0
0
Reply
sunil (@guest_130883)
June 13, 2012 12:24 am
#130883

i use office 2010 and win 2007. facing same .wmz problem. .i.e. wmz files are getting attached to my sent emails. i remaned normalemail file. but problem persist. please help.

0
0
Reply
Kevin (@guest_99786)
April 26, 2012 8:40 am
#99786

My replies/ forwards have the original message to the right of the text instead of below. I created a new signature and this started to occur.
Can't seem to figure out how to use the signature on replies/forwards and have my new signature below and the original e-mail below that ?
Please, all help is appreciated.

Kevin

0
0
Reply
Diane Poremsky (@guest_99795)
Reply to  Kevin
April 26, 2012 8:56 am
#99795

Did you create the signature in the signature editor or paste in the signature editor - or edit the HTML files the signature uses? It sounds like the signature file is missing some HTML tags.

Is the signature simple text / urls or do you have images or other 'fancy' things in it?

0
0
Reply

Visit Slipstick Forums.
What's New at Slipstick.com

Latest EMO: Vol. 30 Issue 19

Subscribe to Exchange Messaging Outlook






Support Services

Do you need help setting up Outlook, moving your email to a new computer, migrating or configuring Office 365, or just need some one-on-one assistance?

Our Sponsors

CompanionLink
ReliefJet
  • Popular
  • Latest
  • Week Month All
  • Jetpack plugin with Stats module needs to be enabled.
  • Open Outlook Templates using PowerShell
  • Count and List Folders in Classic Outlook
  • Google Workspace and Outlook with POP Mail
  • Import EML Files into New Outlook
  • Opening PST files in New Outlook
  • New Outlook: Show To, CC, BCC in Replies
  • Insert Word Document into Email using VBA
  • Delete Empty Folders using PowerShell
  • Warn Before Deleting a Contact
  • Classic Outlook is NOT Going Away in 2026
Ajax spinner

Recent Bugs List

Microsoft keeps a running list of issues affecting recently released updates at Fixes or workarounds for recent issues in classic Outlook (Windows).

For new Outlook for Windows: Fixes or workarounds for recent issues in new Outlook for Windows .

Outlook for Mac Recent issues: Fixes or workarounds for recent issues in Outlook for Mac

Outlook.com Recent issues: Fixes or workarounds for recent issues on Outlook.com

Office Update History

Update history for supported Office versions is at Update history for Office

Outlook Suggestions and Feedback

Outlook Feedback covers Outlook as an email client, including Outlook Android, iOS, Mac, and Windows clients, as well as the browser extension (PWA) and Outlook on the web.

Outlook (new) Feedback. Use this for feedback and suggestions for Outlook (new).

Use Outlook.com Feedback for suggestions or feedback about Outlook.com accounts.

Other Microsoft 365 applications and services




New Outlook Articles

Open Outlook Templates using PowerShell

Count and List Folders in Classic Outlook

Google Workspace and Outlook with POP Mail

Import EML Files into New Outlook

Opening PST files in New Outlook

New Outlook: Show To, CC, BCC in Replies

Insert Word Document into Email using VBA

Delete Empty Folders using PowerShell

Warn Before Deleting a Contact

Classic Outlook is NOT Going Away in 2026

Newest Code Samples

Open Outlook Templates using PowerShell

Count and List Folders in Classic Outlook

Insert Word Document into Email using VBA

Warn Before Deleting a Contact

Use PowerShell to Delete Attachments

Remove RE:, FWD:, and Other Prefixes from Subject Line

Change the Mailing Address Using PowerShell

Categorize @Mentioned Messages

Send an Email When You Open Outlook

Delete Old Calendar Events using VBA

Repair PST

Convert an OST to PST

Repair damaged PST file

Repair large PST File

Remove password from PST

Merge Two Data Files

Sync & Share Outlook Data

  • Share Calendar & Contacts
  • Synchronize two computers
  • Sync Calendar and Contacts Using Outlook.com
  • Sync Outlook & Android Devices
  • Sync Google Calendar with Outlook
  • Access Folders in Other Users Mailboxes

Diane Poremsky [Outlook MVP]

Make a donation

Mail Tools

Sending and Retrieval Tools

Mass Mail Tools

Compose Tools

Duplicate Remover Tools

Mail Tools for Outlook

Online Services

Calendar Tools

Schedule Management

Calendar Printing Tools

Calendar Reminder Tools

Calendar Dates & Data

Time and Billing Tools

Meeting Productivity Tools

Duplicate Remover Tools

Productivity

Productivity Tools

Automatic Message Processing Tools

Special Function Automatic Processing Tools

Housekeeping and Message Management

Task Tools

Project and Business Management Tools

Choosing the Folder to Save a Sent Message In

Run Rules on messages after reading

Help & Suggestions

Submit Outlook Feature Requests

Slipstick Support Services

Buy Microsoft 365 Office Software and Services

Visit Slipstick Forums.

What's New at Slipstick.com

Home | Outlook User | Exchange Administrator | Office 365 | Outlook.com | Outlook Developer
Outlook for Mac | Common Problems | Utilities & Addins | Tutorials
Outlook & iCloud Issues | Outlook Apps
EMO Archives | About Slipstick | Slipstick Forums
Submit New or Updated Outlook and Exchange Server Utilities

Send comments using our Feedback page
Copyright © 2025 Slipstick Systems. All rights reserved.
Slipstick Systems is not affiliated with Microsoft Corporation.

wpDiscuz

Sign up for Exchange Messaging Outlook

Our weekly Outlook & Exchange newsletter (bi-weekly during the summer)






Please note: If you subscribed to Exchange Messaging Outlook before August 2019, please re-subscribe.

Never see this message again.

You are going to send email to

Move Comment