How to Open Email Attachments in Reading View in MS Office Word?

Although it is not recommended to open email attachments from unknown sources or senders as they may infect your computer with malware, trojan horses, viruses, etc. Sometimes, it may be necessary to open email attachments in Microsoft Word.

Fortunately, Office Word document has built-in settings that block all unwarranted attacks from malware, virus, etc., and safeguard your computer.

To protect your computer from email attachments, you need to enable the Reading View mode for attachments in Word Options, which helps you block all unnecessary attacks by various integrated or injected malware, viruses, etc.

How to Open Email Attachments in Reading View in Word using Word Options?

To enable Review View in Word, use these steps:-

Step 1. Open a Microsoft Word document.

Step 2. Click the File menu.

Step 3. Next, select the Options on the left side.

Step 4. In the Word Options panel, switch to the General tab.

Step 5. Check the option “Open e-mail attachments and other uneditable files in reading view” under the “Start up options” section.

Step 6. Click OK.

How to Open Email Attachments in Reading View in Word using Registry Editor?

If you are using Windows 11 or 10, to open email attachments in Reading View in Word by tweaking the Registry, use these steps:-

Step 1. Open Registry Editor.

Step 2. Then, browse to the following key in the left sidebar of the Registry Editor window:-

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\office\16.0

Step 3. Next, right-click on the 16.0 folder and select New > Key.

Step 4. Name the newly created key word.

Step 5. Now, right-click on the word folder and choose New > Key.

Step 6. Name the newly created key as options.

Step 7. After that, right-click on the options folder and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.

Step 8. Name the newly created REG_DWORD as allowautoreadingmode.

Step 9. Then, double-click on allowautoreadingmode REG_DWORD and set “Value data” as 1.

Step 10. Click OK.

Step 11. Lastly, reboot your computer to apply the changes.

How to Open Email Attachments in Reading View in Word through Group Policy Editor?

To open email attachments in Reading View in Word through Group Policy Editor in Windows 11 or 10, use these steps:-

Step 1. Open Local Group Policy Editor.

Step 2. Then, navigate to the following location in the left sidebar:-

User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Microsoft Word 2016 > Word Options > General

Step 3. On the right sidebar of the “General” folder, double-click on the policy Open e-mail attachments in Reading View.

Step 4. Select Enabled.

Step 5. Click Apply.

Step 6. Click OK.

Step 7. Finally, restart your computer to apply the changes.

Conclusion

In conclusion, opening email attachments from unknown sources or senders can be risky and may harm your computer with malware, viruses, and other harmful software. However, sometimes, it may be necessary to open such attachments, and Microsoft Word has built-in settings to protect your computer from attacks. Enabling the Reading View mode for email attachments in Word Options can block unnecessary attacks by integrated or injected malware, viruses, and other harmful software. This can be done through different methods, including using Word Options, Registry Editor, or Group Policy Editor, depending on your operating system. By following the steps mentioned in this guide, you can safely open email attachments in Reading View in Word and protect your computer from potential threats.

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