How to open attachments in edit mode (not read-only/protected view) in Outlook??

Author Kelly Last modified 2025-04-01

When you receive an email in Outlook with a Word document or Excel workbook attached, double-clicking the attachment usually opens it in Protected View. You then have to manually click Enable Editing to begin editing the file. In some cases, the attachment also opens in Read-Only mode, preventing immediate edits. This tutorial will walk you through how to open attachments directly in editable mode, bypassing both Protected View and Read-Only mode.

Open Attachments in Edit Mode in Outlook

Part 1: Disable Protected View in Microsoft Office Programs
Part 2: Prevent Attachments from Opening in Read-Only Mode in Outlook

Open Attachments in Edit Mode in Outlook

Part 1: Disable Protected View in Microsoft Office Programs

To stop Word, Excel, or other Office files from opening in Protected View, you need to change the settings in the corresponding Office application. Here's how to do it in Word:

1. Open Microsoft Word and click "File" > "Options".

2. In the "Word Options" dialog box, click "Trust Center" in the left pane, then click the "Trust Center Settings" button.

the screenshot of step about opening attachments in edit mode in Outlook 1

3. In the "Trust Center" dialog box, go to "Protected View". And uncheck the "Enable Protected View for Outlook attachments" option.

the screenshot of step about opening attachments in edit mode in Outlook 2

4. Click OK to close the "Trust Center", then click OK again to exit "Word Options". Close Word if needed.

From now on, Word attachments opened from Outlook will no longer appear in Protected View.

⚡ Tip: To apply the same behavior for Excel, PowerPoint, or other attachments, repeat these steps in the corresponding Office programs.

Part 2: Prevent Attachments from Opening in Read-Only Mode in Outlook

Follow these steps to prevent attachments from opening as read-only when accessed directly from Outlook:

1. In Outlook, go to the "Mail" view and open the folder containing the email. Then double-click the email to open it in its own Message window.

2. On the "Message" tab, click "Actions" > "Edit Message".

the screenshot of step about opening attachments in edit mode in Outlook 3

3. Now, double-click the attachment from the "Attachment Bar" to open it.

4. In the "Opening Mail Attachment" dialog box, click "Open".

the screenshot of step about opening attachments in edit mode in Outlook 4

Result

The attachment opens directly in edit mode, allowing immediate modifications—without triggering Protected View or Read-Only mode.

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