How to delete blocked attachments from emails in Outlook?

Author Kelly Last modified 2025-04-07

Let’s say you receive an email with an EXE attachment in Outlook. The EXE attachment is blocked, as shown in the screenshot below. You are not allowed to select, preview, or download this blocked attachment. In this situation, is there any way to remove it? Try the solutions below:

Delete blocked attachments from emails by modifying the Registry Key

Delete blocked attachments from emails with Kutools for Outlook

the screenshot of deleting blocked attachments from email in outlook 1

Delete blocked attachments from emails by modifying the Registry Key

This method will guide you to create or modify the "Level1Remove" string value in the Registry Editor to disable blocking specified types of attachments in your Outlook so that you can select and delete the blocked attachments manually.

1. Press the "Win" + "R" keys to open the Run dialog box, and then type "Regedit" into the "Open" box and click the "OK" button. See screenshot:

the screenshot of step about deleting blocked attachments from email with modifying Registry Key in outlook 1

2. In the User Account Control dialog box, click "Yes" to continue.

the screenshot of step about deleting blocked attachments from email with modifying Registry Key in outlook 2

3. Now the Registry Editor opens. Please open the "Security" key with the following path:
"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\Security"

Note: This path is for Outlook 2016. If you are using Outlook 2013, change "16.0" to "15.0" or to "14.0" for Outlook 2010.

4. Right-click the "Security" key, select "New" > "String Value" from the context menu, and name the new string value "Level1Remove".

the screenshot of step about deleting blocked attachments from email with modifying Registry Key in outlook 3

5. Double-click to open the new "Level1Remove" string value, type the extension names of blocked attachments into the "Value data" box, and click "OK". See screenshot:

the screenshot of step about deleting blocked attachments from email with modifying Registry Key in outlook 4

Note: If entering multiple extension names, separate them with semicolons ";", such as "exe;msi".

6. Restart your Microsoft Outlook.

So far the specified types of blocked attachments have been unblocked in your Microsoft Outlook.

the screenshot of step about deleting blocked attachments from email with modifying Registry Key in outlook 5

7. Click to preview the email containing the blocked attachment in the Reading Pane, right-click the attachment, and select "Remove Attachment" from the context menu. See screenshot:

the screenshot of step about deleting blocked attachments from email with modifying Registry Key in outlook 6

The specified blocked attachment has been removed from the email immediately.

Delete blocked attachments from emails with Kutools for Outlook

If you have "Kutools for Outlook" installed, you can apply its "Set safe attachment extensions for receiving emails" option to unblock specified types of blocked attachments quickly, and then delete them easily.

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1. Click "Kutools" > "Options" to open the Options dialog box.

the screenshot of the Options feature

2. In the "Options" dialog box, go to the "Others" tab, type the extension names of blocked attachments into the "Set safe attachment extensions for receiving emails" box, and click "OK".

the screenshot of the Options dialog box

Note: Separate multiple extension names with a semicolon ";", such as "exe;msi".

3. Now a Kutools for Outlook dialog box pops up, reminding you to restart Microsoft Outlook. Click "OK" and restart Outlook.

the screenshot of step about deleting blocked attachments from email with kutools for outlook in outlook 2

So far, all blocked attachments with the specified extension names have been unblocked in Outlook.

4. Click to preview the email containing the blocked attachment in the Reading Pane, right-click the attachment, and select "Remove Attachment" from the context menu.

the screenshot of step about deleting blocked attachments from email with kutools for outlook in outlook 3

The specified blocked attachment has been removed from your email successfully.

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