[rashal1214]

I have seen that at times while checking email from iPad 2, the attachment of .doc / .docx (word document) in a mail is being received as ' winmail.dat ' file which cannot be opened. Please give me a solution...

[JustMe'D]

I have seen that at times while checking email from iPad 2, the attachment of .doc / .docx (word document) in a mail is being received as ' winmail.dat ' file which cannot be opened. Please give me a solution...

I attempted to replicate your issue, but was unable to. I sent a word document (making sure it was saved as .docx) to my gmail account and when I checked it via my iPad 2, the attachment was properly named and displayed the .docx suffix so I don't know what to tell you, my friend.

[Fausty82]

I have seen that at times while checking email from iPad 2, the attachment of .doc / .docx (word document) in a mail is being received as ' winmail.dat ' file which cannot be opened. Please give me a solution...

The winmail.dat file usually appears because various mail programs handle message formats differently. Certain messages sent from the Microsoft Outlook mail program (or a Microsoft Exchange server) may arrive with a winmail.dat attachment if your own mail program is not set up to handle mail in the Microsoft Outlook Rich Text Format.

Unlike plain-text formatting, this Rich Text Format can display different text styles, fonts and colors within a message. The winmail.dat file contains the Rich Text Format information for the message, but usually will not open normally. (These attachments are sometimes called T.N.E.F. files, short for Transport Neutral Encapsulation Format, which is the technical term for the format Outlook uses.)

If the winmail.dat file needs to be opened to read the message or its intended file attachment, there are a few ways to troubleshoot. One is to ask the sender to change Outlook’s settings so that mail can be sent in the plain-text format, and then to resend the original message. Microsoft has information on how to do this at support.microsoft.com/kb/290809.

Here's a note that explains how to fix/prevent it:

winmail.dat (solutions for OS X and iOS)
by Klaus Warschkow t/a The Mac Guy on Wednesday, July 27, 2011 at 7:01pm ·
Ever received an e-mail with a winmail.dat attachment and didn’t know how to open it?

There are a number of solutions to deal with this problem. Some of them will also work with iOS.

1) Ask the sender of the e-mail to change settings on his/her Windows PC to avoid them in the first place.
This Apple technote explains what winmail.dat files are and how to avoid them:

Send a link to this technote to the sender of the e-mail with the winmail.dat attachment and hopefully you will never receive one again.

For those that won’t believe what Apple is saying send them a link to this Microsoft technote that also explains what winmail.dat files are and how to avoid them:


If you can’t reach the sender or can’t get him/her to change the settings there are other options to deal with the winmail.dat file on your Mac.

2) Use TNEF's Enough
You can download it here:
The most recent version 3.2.1 works with Lion and Snow Leopard. There are older versions of the App for older versions of the Mac OS X.
Make sure you read the FAQ section as this software is not very intuitive.
And be kind and make a donation to the developer if find the software useful.

3) Use Letter Opener Pro or Lite
You can download a trial version here:
The recently released version 4 is Lion compatible.
Letter Opener Pro is a plug-in to Apple Mail, that will work in the back ground and you will never even know that you received a winmail.dat attachment once you installed it.

Winmail.dat Viewer - Letter Opener Lite is an App you can purchase from the Mac App Store.


There is even an App for iOS to deal with winmail.dat files right on your iPhone or iPad here:


4) Use Klammer
You can read all about it here:
And then purchase a licence from the iOS App Store or Mac App Store.
The software works with Lion and Snow Leopard.
The Mac App version is here

The iOS version is here


5) Winmail Extractor
An other App to deal with winmail.dat files available from the Mac App Store


6) WinDat Opener
And another one from the Mac App Store


And the companion from the iOS App Store


7) Winmail File Viewer
Is an other solution for iOS

[Bobsapple]

What fun! So Apple doesn't want you to be able to open just anything someone sends you! That would be too compatible! Rather than buy third party s/w for all your Apple devices so you can open winmail.dat files (and others), I'd suggest using a Windows or Droid based machine for your business needs. These open everything without a problem. Apple refuses to fix compatibility issues, and will not embed the conversion s/w for winmail.dat files, even though this is a commonplace file in the business world. For pretty pictures, music management, etc. the Apple products are great, but for hard core business usage, you will always struggle with compatibility issues in an Apple platform. Sorry...
oh, BTW, Apple products not too good with Yahoo mail either. When I discovered this after the purchase, Apples recommendation was to change my e-mail! Right, thousands of business contacts have this e-mail address, but the kids in Cupertino, having never actually conducted business , don't get that.

[Alli]

Thank you for your one trolling post, but the issue was resolved, had you read the posts above you. I've frequently gotten emails with a "winmail.dat" attachment on my PC, and can't read them in anything but Outlook - which many people don't have, as it's an expensive program. (Speaking of forcing you to buy 3rd party apps!)

Most people who know how to set up their Outlook don't cause the problem. But it's well documented, and is a problem originating with Outlook and has nothing to do with the email recipient.

[OldCharles]

Look for an app called Winmil it opens those attachments.

[OldCharles]

Sorry it's called Winmail. Works good for me on all my iOS devices.