Emails received with PDF attachment show up with winmail.dat file instead of PDF file

[DPS]

Since about a month ago, it looks like emails coming in from certain contacts with a PDF attachment are coming up with a WINMAIL.DAT file instead of the PDF attachment. From other postings, this appears to be an issue from mail sent using Outlook RTF (rich text format) however I was receiving those PDF attachments fine for several months before starting to experience this issue about a month ago. Other recipients of the email don't have an issue but I appear to be the only one with a "bell.net" address, leading me to believe this is an issue with the Bell email servers.

Whether I'm using my mobile (iphone) or accessing my mail through WebMail (on both PC or Mac), I only get the WINMAIL.DAT attachment instead of the PDF file.

From memory, this also appears to coincide with the "new" Webmail application from Bell...could be coincidence but suspect the changes may be related.

[raven416]

I am having exactly the same issue on both webmail (laptop) and mobile (Android). I also have a "bell.net" address. What is the fix for this? 

[MT_User · Accepted solution]

Hello, thank you for your feedback. 

WINMAIL.DAT is a Microsoft container where some Microsoft clients place attachments.  This is Microsoft proprietary technology that is being used outside of the Bell email platform and unfortunately we are unable to change that behavior.

Thanks, 

MT

[DPS]

I've provided details to @BellPatricia about the emails and awaiting news on what they find. But the facts similar emails from the same user were working fine in November and stopped working in December, and also the fact other recipients not on bell.net domain have no issue with the attachments points to a change in behaviour in early December.

[JoeV]

Well I have a "sympatico.ca" address and am experiencing the exact same problem. Like others, I did not experience this  problem prior to the introduction of the latest Bell Webmail application. In fact, I have emails in my Inbox, received before the new webmail was introduced, that have perfectly readable PDF attachments. I discovered that PDF attachments from people with "bell.net" and "sympatico.ca" accounts do arrive properly. I hope the problem will be resolved soon.

[MaggieG]

I experience this problem with Word attachments (but only those from one or two individuals). I have a not-entirely-satisfactory workaround for the time being: I forward the message with the attachment to my Gmail account and open the file there. Or, I can forward the message from Gmail BACK to the Sympatico email address, which results in a normal Word attachment as well as some tag-along files. I would rather do this than download a special 'reader' app (Bell's recommendation) for the winmail.dat file.

I agree that the timing for this issue coincides with Bell's introduction of its new email platform. Bell clients shouldn't have to resort to other email apps in order to solve Bell's shortcomings. I hope this is embarrassing enough for Bell that they'll address the issue soon.

[RafSo1]

I also have sympatico and pdf attachments are coming in as winmail that cannot be opened. This appears to be a Bell server problem that should be resolved. It has to do with a default setting on their program that cannot be accessed by users on the webmail. They have to set as HTML or plain text. Please fix this Bell. Thank you

[BellPatricia]

Hey @RafSo1, thank you for reaching out to the Community.

In order for us to best assist we have sent you a private message to gather some information. Please check your inbox, next to your profile avatar in the top right corner.

Unsure how to check or send a private message? See How to send a private message

[jsc121]

Is there a fix yet for the pdf issue?  I never had problems before receiving pdfs prior to the update and this is getting annoying.  I have received some very important documents and cannot open any of the pdf attachments from a certain government organization.  I have tried my sympatico.ca account and my bell.net account, to no avail.  Also, I have found that my email frequently just disappears from my inbox...why?

[BellPatricia]

Hey @jsc121. Thank you for reaching out to the Bell Community.

We have sent you a private message so we can gather some information. Please check your inbox, next to your profile avatar in the top right corner.

Unsure how to check or send a private message? See How to send a private message

- Patricia

[Paladin · Accepted solution]

I was but (still am for my own needs) a mail server administrator for many years.

The Winmail.dat has been plaguing the Internet for many many years...

The answer provided by MT_User was quite good...

The problem is how the Outlook application of the person who is sending you the email is configured.

If I remember well if it is set to send in "rich text format" it causes this problem...

As far as I know only the Outlook application does this, not Hotmail/Outlook.com... It is however possible that Homail/Outlook.com knows how to deal with those files, I am not sure...

I believe there is two places where the person using the Outlook application can change the "rich text format" settings which causes this problem... Globally and per-contact...

Globally it is apparently under

"Outlook options, Mail"

and then both

"Compose messages" and "Message format"...

They must not choose "rich text format" they should choose "HTML"...

There is supposed to be a similar setting per contact but I could not find a screen capture of it...

Good luck and have a nice day!

[Paladin]

---

@jsc121 wrote:

I have received some very important documents and cannot open any of the pdf attachments from a certain government organization

There are tools to open winmail.dat files, a google search for "open winmail.dat" should give you multiple results..

Blame your government for the problem though, the problem is on their side, they should not send emails in that format...

Good luck and have a nice day!

[Paladin]

---

@RafSo1 wrote:

I also have sympatico and pdf attachments are coming in as winmail that cannot be opened. This appears to be a Bell server problem that should be resolved. It has to do with a default setting on their program that cannot be accessed by users on the webmail. They have to set as HTML or plain text. Please fix this Bell. Thank you

---

Actually the problem is not on the receiving side (Bell), it is on the sending side...

The person sending you those emails has the message format setting set "rich text format" when it should be HTML or plain text...

What you read about this setting needing to be "plain text" or "HTML" is totally true but you read it backwards... The problem is not on Bell's side...

Good luck and have a nice day!

[Paladin]

---

@MaggieG wrote:

I experience this problem with Word attachments (but only those from one or two individuals). I have a not-entirely-satisfactory workaround for the time being: I forward the message with the attachment to my Gmail account and open the file there. Or, I can forward the message from Gmail BACK to the Sympatico email address, which results in a normal Word attachment as well as some tag-along files. I would rather do this than download a special 'reader' app (Bell's recommendation) for the winmail.dat file.

It sounds like gmail might have implemented a workaround, they actually run the special reader app on their side and add the result as an attachment...

Cute but it only keeps on prolonging a problem cause by Microsoft with their Outlook app... They should stop using that "rich text" setting as default...

Good luck and have a nice day!

---

[Paladin]

---

@MaggieG wrote:

I agree that the timing for this issue coincides with Bell's introduction of its new email platform. Bell clients shouldn't have to resort to other email apps in order to solve Bell's shortcomings. I hope this is embarrassing enough for Bell that they'll address the issue soon.

---

I know that, when I was a Bell Sympatico customer many years ago Bell was actually using Hotmail/Outlook.com to host their emails.

Was it still the case until recently?

I believe Hotmail/Outlook.com was actually implementing a workaround for those winmail.dat files to show them correctly so if Bell did indeed transition from Hotmail/Outlook.com to their own platform (well, I doubt they wrote it, they probably purchased it and rebranded it) the problem was indeed caused by this as their replacement email platform does not have a workaround for those pesky winmail.dat files sent by the Outlook app...

Make no mistake though, the real problem is not on Bell's side, their only "sin" here is that they have not implemented a workaround around it if this is what happened..

Good luck and have a nice day!