How to Open a Word Document in Email

Microsoft Word, a program from Microsoft Office suite, is popular word processing software with sophisticated functions for document editing and presentation. Word documents are binary files and hence, cannot be sent as a plain text in emails. Such documents need to be encoded, and typically appear as attachments when they are sent using email services.

Log in to your email account and open an email message that contains a word document. Such a document is always an attachment file with the extension “.doc” or “.docx” in the email.

Locate the attachment file area in your email. Attached files are typically listed under the email address information and are marked with the paper clip symbol.

Click on the filename of the word document in the attachment area. The menu with the option buttons “Open,” “Save” and “Cancel” will appear.

Click “Open” to download the file and launch Microsoft Office Word. Microsoft Word will automatically open the document. Use this option only if you need to look through or print the document, and you do not intend to save it.

As an alternative to Step 4, click “Save” and browse your computer to find a folder where you wish to store the word document. Then click the button “Save” in the window.

Click “Start” in the lower left portion of your screen and then “Computer” to open Windows Explorer.

Navigate to the folder where the word document has been saved (Step 5). Double-click on the filename to open it in Microsoft Word.