Solutions
Error: "To protect your security and the security of others, you can't attach a file with this extension"
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This solution article will provide information to users who are unable to attach a filetype that is blocked by Windows Live Hotmail
Symptoms:
Users will encounter the following error message when trying to a attach a file in Windows Live Hotmail:
"To protect your security and the security of others, you can't attach a file with this extension"
What does the error mean?
Users will encounter this error when they try to attach a filetype that is not allowed by Windows Live Hotmail.
Windows Live Hotmail doesn't support the following file types. Your operating system, firewall, or other software may also cause additional file types to be blocked.
| .ade |
.adp |
.app |
| .asp |
.bas |
.bat |
| .cer |
.chm |
.cmd |
| .com |
.cpl |
.crt |
| .csh |
.exe |
.fxp |
| .hlp |
.hta |
.inf |
| .ins |
.isp |
.its |
| .js |
.jse |
.ksh |
| .lnk |
.mad |
.maf |
| .mag |
.mam |
.maq |
| .mar |
.mas |
.mat |
| .mau |
.mav |
.maw |
| .mda |
.mdb |
.mde |
| .mdt |
.mdw |
.mdz |
| .msc |
.msi |
.msp |
| .mst |
.ops |
.pcd |
| .pif |
.prf |
.prg |
| .pst |
.reg |
.scf |
| .scr |
.sct |
.shb |
| .shs |
.tmp |
.url |
| .vb |
.vbe |
.vbs |
| .vsmacros |
.vss |
.vst |
| .vsw |
.ws |
.wsc |
| .wsf |
.wsh |
What should you do?
To send or receive an unsupported file type as an attachment, use one of the following methods, or ask the person sending you the attachment do so:
- Compress the file.
Use a zipped folder or a third-party compression program to compress the file, and then attach it to your e-mail message as a .zip file. See your software documentation for information about how to compress a file.
- Change the file extension to .txt.
Locate the file that you want to attach, right-click the file, and then click Rename.
Type txt in place of the original file extension, and then press ENTER.
Attach the renamed file to your e-mail message. Remember to tell the recipient how to change the file extension back after they download the attachment to their computer.
- Upload the file to Windows Live SkyDrive.
SkyDrive is a free service that you can use to store and share your files online with friends or with anyone in the world. Use any computer connected to the Internet to access your files, and share your public files or folders with anyone by e-mailing them a link to the file or folder. You can upload files up to 50 MB in size, and you receive a total of 1 gigabyte (GB) of online storage space.To get started with SkyDrive, go to the Windows Live SkyDrive website (http://skydrive.live.com/).
