Outlook “View in Browser” gives “File not found”

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In Outlook, when I click on Actions > View in Browser, the browser displays “File not found”. This happens for all messages that I’ve tried. This used to work, then it stopped working, then it worked for half a day, then it stopped working, then it worked one time while I was writing this post, and now it is not working again.

Outlook opens Edge, which I have set to use Internet Explorer mode (so that it can display mht files). Edge says, “Internet Explorer mode was used to launch a document in this tab”. The address bar says, “file:///C:/Users/David/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/IMRE6UTH/email.mht”. There is no email.mht file in that directory.

The mailbox lives on an Exchange mail server. Outlook’s “View in Browser” works on my other computer with the same mailbox and same mail messages.

I went to Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features. I right-clicked Microsoft 365, selected Change > Online Repair. I also ran

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
sfc /scannow

This did not help.

Versions:

Microsoft Outlook for Microsoft 365 MSO (Version 2205 Build 16.0.15225.20028) 32-bit

Edition Windows 10 Home
Version 21H2
Installed on 7/19/2020
OS build 19044.1806
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.4180.0

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Is the other computer where it always works also 32-bit Office 365?

It works fine for me too on 64-bit Office 365 now (after being troublesome for years.)

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The other computer is the same version of Outlook: Microsoft Outlook for Microsoft 365 MSO (Version 2205 Build 16.0.15225.20028) 32-bit

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For some reason, this article says;

If the page does not load the first time you use View in Browser, click View in Browser a second time. It should work after that, until you restart Edge.

Using Outlook’s ‘View it in a web browser’ with Edge

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David Marcus

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That actually works. It looks like Outlook does create the file, tells Edge to display it, then it (or Edge) deletes it. If I have Windows Explorer open and showing the folder, the file appears and then disappears. Maybe it is being deleted too quickly.

I tried first starting Edge, then clicking “View in Browser”. This didn’t work. But, Clicking “View in Browser” a second time (without closing Edge) did display the file.

Thank you.

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b

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If I open Edge, view any page, tell Edge to “Reload in Internet Explorer mode”, then click “View in Browser” in Outlook, the page displays.

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b

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Do subsequent uses of “view it in a web browser” (e.g. for the next Outlook HTML message) then open first time (during an Edge session)?

So it’s a bug that deletes Outlook’s temporary .mht file before viewing instead of after, but only on the first attempt? (And never again unless you restart Edge?)

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Yes. As long as you don’t close Edge, once “View in Browser” works, it continues to work for other messages.

Yes. Some sort of bug apparently related to switching to Internet Explorer mode.

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b

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Yesterday’s update for the Office Insider Beta Channel, Version 2208 (Build 15601.20028), includes:

We fixed an issue that caused a file to fail to open in Edge after a user chose the View in browser option in an Outlook message.

Release Notes for Beta Channel

Presumably this bug fix will trickle out to other Office 365 update channels in the coming weeks.

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Lars220

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I reported the bug and the workaround to Microsoft via the “Get Help” app on July 6. The Microsoft Support person was very grateful for the details that I provided: they wrote, “Thanks for everything and for being an amazing customer. We look forward to having you for many years to come”.

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Lars220

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Go to settings/apps/default apps. In the box labeled “Search apps” enter, for example, “Edge”, then go through and change everything to your preferred browser.

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