Can't open links and attachments in Windows Mail app

Windows Mail is an email client from Microsoft that lets users view and manage their emails. While using the Windows Mail app, some users have experienced that they are unable to open links and attachments in the Windows Mall app. In this article, we will see some methods to fix both of these problems. If you are experiencing such an issue with the Windows Mail app, you can try the suggestions provided in this post.

Can’t open links in Windows Mail app

According to the affected users, when they click on links in the Windows Mail app, instead of opening it in their default web browser, it displays the “Can’t open” error message. It might be possible that the problem is occurring due to a minor glitch that can be fixed simply by restarting the device. Restart your Windows 11/10 device and see if it helps. If not, you can try the solutions provided below.

Disable your third-party Firewall
Change your default web browser for HTTP and HTTPS protocols
Clear Microsoft Store cache
Reset the Windows Mail app

Let’s see all these solutions in detail.

1] Disable your third-party Firewall

If you are using a third-party Firewall, it might be preventing Windows Mail app from opening links in your web browser. You can check this by disabling your third-party Firewall. If this works, you have to whitelist the Windows Mail app in your third-party Firewall.

Alternatively, you can uninstall your third-party Firewall and use Windows built-in Firewall. If you face the same problem again, you can allow the Windows Mail app in Windows Firewall.

2] Change your default web browser for HTTP and HTTPS protocols

This trick has solved the problem of many users. Change your default web browser for HTTP and HTTPS protocols and see if it helps. The steps to do this are different for both Windows 11 and Windows 10 users.

Windows 11

Open Windows 11 Settings app.
Go to “Apps > Default apps.”
Scroll down and click on the Choose defaults by link type tab.
Now, scroll down the list and click on the HTTP and HTTPS protocols tabs to change your default web browser.

Windows 10

Open Windows 10 Settings app.
Go to “Apps > Default apps.”
Now, click on the Choose default apps by protocol link. You will find this link at the end of the Default apps page.
Click on the tabs next to HTTP and HTTPS to change your default web browser.

If the above steps do not solve your problem, change your default web browser to Microsoft Edge. This should fix the issue.

3] Clear Microsoft Store cache

If Windows Store apps don’t open or crash unexpectedly, clearing the Windows Store cache can fix the problem. WSReset.exe is a built-in tool in the devices running on Windows operating systems that lets users reset Windows Store Apps.

4] Reset the Windows Mail app

If the above solutions fail to fix your problem, resetting the Windows Mail app may help. The process to reset the Windows Mail app is explained below.

Open Windows 11/10 Settings app.
Go to “Apps > Apps & features.”
In Windows 10, select the Mail and Calendar app and click on the Advanced options link. In Windows 11, click on the three horizontal dots next to the Mail and Calendar app and select Advanced options.
Click Reset.

Can’t open attachments in Windows Mail app

Above, we have seen some methods to fix the problem in which the Windows Mail app fails to open links. Now, let’s see what you can do if you can’t open attachments in Windows Mail app. We suggest you follow the suggestions provided below to get the issue resolved.

Run Windows Store Apps Troubleshooter
Remove your account and add it again
Turn off the Live Tiles option for Windows 10 Mail app
Reinstall the FOD package manually
Reset the Windows Mail app
Uninstall and reinstall the Windows Mail app

Below, we have explained all these methods in detail.

1] Run Windows Store Apps Troubleshooter

Mail and Calendar is a Windows Store app. Therefore, if you experience any issue with the Mail and Calendar app, you can run Windows Store Apps Troubleshooter to fix the problem.

2] Remove your account and add it again

Like the Gmail app and Outlook desktop app, the Windows Mail app also lets users add multiple accounts. If you are experiencing a problem with a specific email account on the Windows Mail app, removing it and adding it again can fix the problem.

3] Turn off the Live Tiles option for Windows 10 Mail app

This solution has worked for many users. If you are a Windows 10 user, you can try this. Turn off the Live Tiles option for Windows 10 Mail app and check if it solves your problem. The steps to do this are as follows:

Click on the Windows 10 Start Menu.
Right-click on the Mail tile.
Go to “Mail > Turn Live Tile Off.”

This should fix the problem. If not, try the next solution.

4] Reinstall the FOD package manually

FOD or Function-on-Demand is the main component of the Windows Mail app. When the FOD package is removed from a Windows device, the Mail app for Windows 11/10 does not work properly or you may experience several issues with the Windows Mail app. If this is the case with you, reinstalling the FOD package will fix your problem.

To install the FOD package manually, launch the Command Prompt as an administrator. After that, copy the following command, paste it into the Command Prompt Admin window, and press Enter.

dism /online /Add-Capability /CapabilityName:OneCoreUAP.OneSync~~~~0.0.1.0

After the above command is executed successfully, you will be prompted to restart your computer. If not, restart your device manually.

After restarting the computer, check if the issue is fixed. If not, remove your email account from the Windows Mail app and add it again.

5] Reset the Windows Mail app

If the problem still persists, reset the Windows Mail app. We have already talked about how to reset the Windows Mail app on Windows 10 and Windows 11 computers above in this article.

6] Uninstall and reinstall the Windows Mail app

You can also try uninstalling and reinstalling the Windows mail app. To uninstall the Windows Mail app, follow the steps written below.

Click on Windows Search and type PowerShell. Right-click on Windows PowerShell and select Run as administrator. Click Yes in the UAC prompt.

Now, copy the following command, paste it into the Windows PowerShell, and hit Enter.

Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps | Remove-AppxPackage

Let Windows execute the above command successfully. After uninstalling the Mail and Calendar app, open Microsoft Store and install the Mail and calendar app from there.

Read: How to change the order of email accounts in Windows 10 Mail app.

How do I enable links in Microsoft email?

When you click on a link in the Windows Mail app, it opens it in your default web browser. If it cannot open the links in a web browser, check whether you have selected any browser for HTTP and HTTPS protocols. If not, select a default web browser for the same.

Sometimes, the Windows Mail app fails to open links in the selected default web browser. In such a case, try to change your default web browser. If this does not work, select Microsoft Edge as the default browser to open links from the Windows Mail app.

You can also try some other fixes, like disabling your third-party Firewall, clearing the Microsoft Store cache, etc.

How do I open attachments in Windows Mail app?

Opening an attachment is easy in the Windows Mail app. First, open the email that contains the attachment, then double-click on the attachment. After that, the Windows mail app will open the attachment automatically in your default web browser.

Hope this helps.