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Where is Microsoft Word saving my email attachments?

Every so often I get an email attachment and double-click it to open it up on my Mac. It opens up fine, I make edits and save the document, but then when I quit Word I can't find the $#@$# document on my system. What's going on and where are the documents I've edited?


Dave's Answer:

This is a common problem in the world of email attachments, actually, and it all comes from an mismatch between what the email program wants to do and what you want to do. When I use Microsoft Entourage, for example, it automatically puts all attachments in a specific directory for neatness, and hands that version of the file, in that directory, to Microsoft Word, which merrily lets me edit and save changes without a glitch.

What you need to do is learn where it's saving those files, and fortunately that's easier than you realize. To figure out the directory, simply double-click on a Word attachment in your email program to launch Word, then immediately choose File --> Save As... and here's what you'll see:

Microsoft Word for Mac OS X: Save As: Email Attachment

Click on the small downward pointing triangle immediately adjacent to the file name to open up the dialog box, then click on the directory name. You'll be shown the exact location of the folder where your email program is saving attachments:

Microsoft Word for Mac OS X: Email Attachment Directory / Folder

That answers the question of "where are those pesky files being saved?" and I'll note a quick Mac shortcut: if you want to save the edited file on your Desktop instead, simply press Cmd-D (or cloverleaf-D or apple-D, depending on how you think of that key on your keyboard!) and you'll be instead looking at your Desktop. Click "Save" and now you have the edited copy on your Desktop, easily found later.

Another way to deal with this is to drag attachments out of your email program and onto your Desktop before you edit them. Now there's no issue because you have a clean copy. You can also do that with the "save attachment as..." feature (or "save" button) in the email program itself, of course.

Finally, any time you have a file you've edited in a Microsoft Office application like Word or Excel, you can always just re-open the application and look for the most recently edited files list on the File menu. Find the filename you seek, open it up, then go to "Save As..." and resave it in a known location. Easily done!


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Categorized: Computer and Internet Basics , Mac OS X Help   (Article 7260, Written by )
Tagged: mac os x, microsoft entourage, microsoft office, microsoft word
Previous: Why aren't my WinXP directory files sorted in alphabetical order?
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Reader Comments To Date: 6

Kristen said, on June 4, 2007 9:13 PM:

Dave,

I just found your website and read your answer you left with someone above. I hope you can maybe help answer my question.

I own a Dell and have microsoft word (of course). My problem: I used to get attachments in my email to open up word documments. My choices were usually to save or open. Now, it either asks me to save it or find an available program online or from a list which could help me read the document. What happened to the preview option of just 'opening' it??

Thanks.
-Kristen

Carolyn said, on March 20, 2009 11:01 AM:

Hi Dave,

My Entourage seem to reset and delete all my previous mails everytime I switch off the Mac... or when it hangs.

It makes me feel that entourage is unstable because I am receiving important e-mails which always gets deleted at the end. How do I solve this problem and make sure that Entourage does not delete my e-mails when my computer suddenly hangs or when I switch off my computer?

Please help me!

Rgds,
Carolyn

joe said, on April 14, 2009 8:06 AM:

I have attachments that will not open unless i save it to disk. how can i open them normally?

s k jain said, on March 14, 2010 12:15 PM:

i tried locating word attachement of microsoft outlook express email. I worked on this attachement and saved it and closed it. i tried locating it but unable to find it. I have closed the file and email before searching it.

regards

s k jain

AndyW said, on October 18, 2010 6:25 AM:

Look no further than 'Agent Ransack' - I'd spent over an hour trying to recover such a document, and this freeware found it within 30 seconds.

C. Wilczynski said, on August 21, 2011 12:15 PM:

Dave,
Under TYPE (attachments) I use Microsft Word
somehow it has changed to Adobe Acrobat and now
I cannot open my Attachments. HELP.
Colette

Starbucks coffee cup I do have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but first I'd like to say thank you, Dave, for all your helpful information by buying you a cup of coffee!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!











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