# Preventing download of Outlook attachments



## ArnieFlangehead (Jul 13, 2007)

Hi All


I've managed to find several freebie utilities that detach and file attachments for Outlook 2000, but none that will prevent the download completely.

I use gmail for the most part, and only download what I really want. I use Outlook and POP to download a backup/offline copy of the emails, as my (wireless) connection is a little flaky, but I don't want the attachments at all.

Because they are business emails a large proportion have large attachments, and I'm on a MB-based plan, so it's really a problem for me.

Any ideas?


Arnie.


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## newhere123 (May 10, 2007)

You have to tell people not to send you attachments. But they are sometimes important, and many document attachments are very small. You could always delete the emails with attachments from gmail, or you can set outlook (probably; I know this can be done in Thunderbird) to only download the headers of the emails (allowing you to see which ones have attachments and then you can choose which ones to download from the server).

I'm wondering what business you have where you get charged for downloading email. Have you looked for better alternatives?


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## ArnieFlangehead (Jul 13, 2007)

Thanks for your response

It's not that I get charged specifically for downloading emails - I'm on a usage-based plan rather than a time-based plan at my ISP, as it's a wireless (GSM) connection. I often do download the attachments straight away when I first get them in gmail, so to download them again when I do my "backup" copy (in Outlook) would be a complete waste of my limited monthly allocation.

Checked for a 'download headers only' option in Outlook. Couldn't see one, but maybe there are MS Gurus out there who can point me to it ... ?


Cheers

Arnie.


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## newhere123 (May 10, 2007)

Tools > Options > Read tab > Uncheck "Automatically download message when viewing in preview pane". 

View > Layout > Uncheck "Show preview pane"

Tools > Options > Security tab > Check "Block images and other external content"

I don't know if this would help or not... Maybe you would be better off changing your account to IMAP so only the messages you view are downloaded from the server. You could also transfer your emails from Outlook to Thunderbird; I know for sure that thunderbird lets you only download the emails you want.


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## tosh9i (Aug 3, 2006)

Outlook > Tools > Options > Mail Setup (Tab) > Send/Receive... > Edit (assuming there's only one account) > In the bottom half you should see "Download headers only"


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## ArnieFlangehead (Jul 13, 2007)

Don't seem to have those options: This is Outlook that's part of Office 2000 if that makes any difference. Thinking it over, I really want all the text of the message, just not the attachments. May not be possible.


Cheers

Arnie


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