How to Fix Outlook Adding 'file://' to Links in Messages

Outlook is a popular email client used by many people around the world. However, sometimes it can be frustrating when Outlook adds 'file://' to links in messages, causing them to not work properly. If you are facing this issue, don't worry! In this article, we will guide you through the steps to fix this problem.

Why does Outlook add 'file://' to links?

Outlook adds 'file://' to links in messages when it mistakenly identifies the link as a local file path instead of a web link. This can happen due to various reasons, such as incorrect settings or a bug in the software.

How to fix Outlook adding 'file://' to links in messages

Follow the steps below to resolve the issue:

1. Open Outlook and go to the 'File' tab located at the top-left corner of the window.
2. Select 'Options' from the left-hand menu.
3. In the Outlook Options window, click on 'Mail' in the left-hand menu.
4. Scroll down to the 'Compose messages' section and click on the 'Editor Options' button.
5. A new window called 'Editor Options' will appear. Here, select 'Advanced' from the left-hand menu.
6. Scroll down to the 'General' section and uncheck the box that says 'Enable links to files'.
7. Click 'OK' to save the changes and close the window.
8. Restart Outlook for the changes to take effect.

After following these steps, Outlook should no longer add 'file://' to links in your messages. You will now be able to click on links and open them in your web browser as intended.

If the issue persists even after following the above steps, you can try resetting the file associations in Windows. To do this, follow the steps below:

1. Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type 'control' and press Enter to open the Control Panel.
3. In the Control Panel, search for 'Default Programs' and click on it.
4. Click on 'Set your default programs'.
5. Select your web browser from the list of programs.
6. Click on 'Set this program as default' and then click 'OK'.

By resetting the file associations, you are ensuring that web links are opened correctly in your default web browser.

We hope that these steps have helped you resolve the issue of Outlook adding 'file://' to links in messages. If you have any further questions or need additional assistance, feel free to reach out to our technical support team.