HowTo: Unblock Restricted file Attachments in Microsoft Outlook 2007

Many of us use Microsoft office as an email client and it is very annoying when you are unable to send or receive certain file attachments like Executables, batch files, registry files, etc. via outlook. These attachment types are restricted in Outlook by default. Normally to break the barrier we often rename the file extension with some permissible file format or use winzip /winrar utility, but that is a time consuming process and is not full-proof method.

Outlook has two security levels built into it. The first level is configurable by the user - these attachments can be saved from an e-mail message to the machine's hard drive. In the second set of security restrictions - no file in this group is allowed to be interacted with in Outlook. You are not allowed to send or receive these files. You can actually change the Outlook file attachments security levels. This can be accomplished in two ways. You can either download the Microsoft Outlook Permissions Add-in which is free add-in for Microsoft Outlook that lets you control exactly which file attachments are accessible within Microsoft Outlook or you can make the following changes to your systems registry:

• Close down Microsoft Outlook.
• Go to Start - Run - type "regedit"
• Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Outlook\Security
• Create a new string value called Level1Remove
• Double-click the new Level1Remove to edit it, and enter the filename extensions you would like to refrain Outlook from blocking the file attachments. Extensions should be typed in lower case, without the dots (.), and separated by semicolons (;). For example, type exe;asx;js to allow .exe, .asx, and .js attachments, respectfully.
  

Note: You should be careful before opening any anonymous email containing the file formats that have been restricted by Outlook by default as they may potentially harm your computer.

The following are a list of the file attachments that are restricted by default

.ade Microsoft Access project extension
.adp Microsoft Access project
.asx Windows Media Audio / Video
.bas Microsoft Visual Basic class module
.bat Batch file
.chm Compiled HTML Help file
.cmd Microsoft Windows NT Command script
.com Microsoft MS-DOS program
.cpl Control Panel extension
.crt Security certificate
.exe Program
.hlp Help file
.hta HTML program
.inf Setup Information
.ins Internet Naming Service
.isp Internet Communication settings
.js JScript file
.jse Jscript Encoded Script file
.lnk Shortcut
.mdb Microsoft Access program
.mde Microsoft Access MDE database
.msc Microsoft Common Console document
.msi Microsoft Windows Installer package
.msp Microsoft Windows Installer patch
.mst Microsoft Windows Installer transform; Microsoft Visual Test source file
.pcd Photo CD image; Microsoft Visual compiled script
.pif Shortcut to MS-DOS program
.prf Microsoft Outlook profile settings
.reg Registration entries
.scf Windows Explorer command
.scr Screen saver
.sct Windows Script Component
.shb Shell Scrap object
.shs Shell Scrap object
.url Internet shortcut

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