Where does Outlook 2007 store opened attachments temporarily?

Question

If a 'friend' has double-clicked an Excel attachment from an Outlook 2007 email and worked on it, saved it and then closed Excel and the email, where would that file be lurking (assuming I haven't exited Outlook?

I seem to remember Outlook 2003 putting stuff in
%username%\Local Setings\Temporary Internet Files in OLK prefixed folders, but no sign of anything relevant looking in there.

I'm he's on Windows XP.

Update
Temporary folder eventually found in:
C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.Outlook
but need to navigate directly to this folder via pasting into 'Run...' dialog or Explorer to see it.

Unfortunately, Outlook deletes the attchment when you close the email.

Answer 1

I had the exact same problem.

Like BBlake said, do this: *if all else fails, you can check in the registry to see where the temporary files are stored: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Outlook\Security\OutlookSecureTempFolder*

It will point to a folder in c:...\Temporary Internet Files...

If you look in explorer and try to navigate to that folder, you won't see it. Instead, copy the entire path in to explorer. It will get there (at least it did for me). Not sure why it is hidden. I have my folder options to show all hidden files, and it still doesn't show up.

Answer 2

if all else fails, you can check in the registry to see where the temporary files are stored: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Outlook\Security\OutlookSecureTempFolder

Answer 3

This article explains how to find the location (it differs for each user and version of outlook). http://www.groovypost.com/howto/microsoft/outlook/find-the-microsoft-outlook-temporary-olk-folder/

If that doesn't work then I would suggest looking in %temp% and if it's not there, then %appdata%.

Good luck.

Answer 4

Another way to find the file is to use the advanced features of search and limit to .xl* files saved on the day in question.

Answer 5

If you open Excel, couldn't you just open the file as a Recent Item and then look at the path to that item?

Answer 6

In my setup, the path you've noted is correct, but the folders you need to access are hidden, so navigating to them in windows explorer isn't easy.

What I do for someone if this happens is open the original email, open the attachment and then start a "save as" causing windows to show the full path to where it is going to save the document. I don't save (which would overwrite the edited version of the document) but note the full path names, which can then be manually typed into the address bar in windows explorer. I then find the saved version of the attachment and move it to a my documents folder.

I'm sure they may be an easier approach, but this has helped me rescue co-workers' documents more than once.

Answer 7

I found it under C:\Documents and Settings\smuthukrishnan\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.Outlook\T4KZ5M1A.

To know the path specific to your environment, see in registry:

• For Outlook 2010

  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Outlook\Security 
  

  or

  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Outlook\Security 
  
  Value Name: OutlookSecureTempFolder
  Data Type: REG_SZ
  

• Outlook 2007

  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Outlook\Security
  

  or

  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Outlook\Security