Opening Attachments to an Email Message

Email messages can include attached files such as word processing documents, spreadsheets, text files, ZIP files, images, executable applications, or any other type of computer file that resides on the sender's computer network. Messages that contain attachments display a paper clip next to the subject.

You can open any file attachment directly from your account, provided that you have the right application and the extension is not blocked by your system administrator.

If the file type is one that is supported by the installed software on your computer, you can typically double-click the file and your computer automatically launches the right application for reading that file.

Computer viruses are often spread via file attachments. Therefore, system administrators might block incoming email containing certain types of attachments, often with the extension .EXE or .ZIP as part of their filename.

Computer viruses can spread through email attachments. It is considered standard practice for system administrators to implement virus filtering for incoming mail as well as virus scanning for personal computers. However, there is always a chance that something could get through.

In the case of email viruses, the majority of them are activated when a file attachment containing the virus is opened or viewed. Many of these viruses have been known to spread themselves using entries in users' address books. Therefore, we recommend that you use care when opening file attachments, even from senders who appear to be known to you.