Can't save word or excel attachments from emails.

[mymojo82]

Just recently (last 2 months), I have not been able to save any email word or excel attachments. I can open the document. I can even edit it. But if I try to "save as", the info page shows it trying to be saved in a temporary file on my C drive. It doesn't matter what I do: let the icon spin, try to load, try to save, try a different path. Word (or excel) simply stops responding, then the error message pops up and I have to close the program.

If I open the file again, the prompt to save the file appears, but the same process occurs. I was fortunate (and have no idea how it happened, think I just "saved" it) that a 75 page document that I needed to edit somehow got "autosaved" in my document library, and so I am able to work on that one. The original is still sitting in my email in box because I can't save it :-(

This follows a change to the look/layout of my "info" page that happened roughly the same time. It used to be that I could simply save any document by going to "file", "save as" and it would take me to my library files. Now I have a two boxes at the top with a tile list of my document file folders. I have to either browse my C drive for the file, or click on the appropriate file folder.

What change has happened that my word program no longer saves as I always have?

 

[Ranger4]

Hi & welcome to the Forum.

You have not mentioned what version of Office you are using, but you could try repairing Office as a start. To do that:

Open Control panel,
select Programs & Features,
scroll down to Microsoft Office,
Right Click on it & select Change,
This should open a couple of Repair options to try.

Also make sure office is up to date.

 

[mymojo82]

Can't open email attachments in word/excel

Thanks for your suggestion Ranger4. I tried both the repair and a reinstall of my Office 365 (2015). Still tries to save into temporary files on my <C drive. Purely by accident, I discovered I can save the documents or spreadsheets by clicking on the "save" icon, and it allows me to save directly to my document library, so I'm at least comfortable that I've found away to save attachments. Still can't right click and "save as", though. And that's a bit disconcerting.

I did look in my "temporary files" and found that the documents that I've been trying to save show up in there. I'm not a computer savvy enough to tempt fate and open them that way.

Don't know what else to do or if it will continue to be an issue when I update Office 365 (2016) as it expires May 25.

 

[Ranger4]

I can't offer any other solutions. It's possible that a Windows or Office 365 update has changed things. At least you have found a work around.

The other method you can use it to Copy the Attachment in Outlook & then Paste it into your Word Document Folder or into Excel Spreadsheet Folder, depending on which is appropriate.