Windows 7 - want to view Attachment without download

Hi, I am really new here and maybe this question has been answered before, if so, please my apologies.

Does it exist a way to see an attachment without download it? Every time that I receive an attachment in an email the only way that I can see it is if the same is downloaded and when is download is saved in the documents or picture files.

A lot of them is not worth it to even download less saved.

Please, because of my job I receive a lot of attachment and it a wast of time download and deleted all that I am not interested to keep it.

OS Window 7 home premium, 64 bit,
MS Office 2007

Thank you

Boriken55

Since you quoted MS Office 2007, I am assuming that you use Outlook for your email, right???

If yes, you simply need to turn on preview attachments:

Preview attachments

You can preview received attachments without opening them or leaving Outlook. Attachments can be previewed in the Reading Pane (Reading Pane: A window in Outlook where you can preview an item without opening it. To display the item in the Reading Pane, click the item.) or in an open message. Email messages that have attachments are identified by a paper clip icon in the message list (message list: The middle part of the main Outlook window that displays the contents of the selected folder.).
Important Microsoft Outlook blocks potentially unsafe attachment file types (including .bat, .exe, .vbs, and .js files) that can contain viruses. You can’t view or access a blocked attachment file. Blocked attachment files are listed in the InfoBar (InfoBar: Banner near the top of an open email message, appointment, contact, or task. Tells you if a message has been replied to or forwarded, along with the online status of a contact who is using Instant Messaging, and so on.) at the top of a message.
To help protect you from malicious code, active content embedded in attachments (including scripts, macros, and ActiveX controls) is disabled during a preview. We recommend that you preview or open attachments only from trustworthy sources.

Preview an attachment
You can preview an attachment in the Reading Pane or inside an open message.


Depending on the format of the message that you receive, attachments appear in two places in the message.

• In HTML or plain text messages, attachments appear in the attachment box below the Subject line.

• In RTF messages, attachments appear in the message body. Even though the file appears embedded in the message, it is actually a separate attachment.

Preview an attachment in an open message

In the open message, click an attachment. The preview appears in the body of the message. To return to the message, click the Message below the Subject line.
Preview an attachment in the Reading Pane

1. In the message list, select a message that includes an attachment.
2. In the Reading Pane, click the attachment. To return to the message body, click Message.

Turn attachment previewers on or off
Outlook includes attachment previewers that work with other Microsoft Office programs to enable attachment previews. By default, these attachment previewers are turned on. To preview an attached file that was created in an Office 2010 application, you must have that Office application installed on your computer. For example, to preview an Excel attachment in Outlook, you must have Excel installed. Third-party software vendors may provide previewers that support additional attachment file types.
Note The previewers in Microsoft Office 2010 provide additional security against potentially harmful code so that you can preview attachments more safely. Turning off the attachment previewers removes that layer of protection.


If you don't want to use some or any of the attachment previewers, do the following in Outlook:

1. Click the File tab.
2. Click Options
3. Click Trust Center.
4. Under Microsoft Outlook Trust Center, click Trust Center Settings, and then click Attachment Handling.
5. Do one of the following:
   • To turn off all attachment previewers, click Turn off Attachment Preview.
   • To turn off a specific attachment previewer, click Attachment and Document Previewers, clear the check box for a previewer that you want to turn off, and then click OK.

Thank you Darryl for your prompt response. I do not use MS Outlook, just as a calendar. I use mail.com a web email service.

Unfortunately, I don't use mail.com, but you could try their help:
Direct Support: We

Perhaps you could consider using the Outlook module in your Office 2007?

just direct your mouse around the attachment, you will see a box 'actions' click on the arrow it will give you the options for display/slideshow/etc
hope it works