Saving an attachment from Outlook always opens the folder in full screen. How do I prevent it?

Dear rosm2004,

Thank you for posting your question to the Microsoft Q&A forum.

When your Save As or Save All Attachments window in Outlook opens full-screen and is missing the resize button (the overlapping squares often called Restore Down), it's a common issue where Windows has gotten "stuck" on the sizing for that specific dialog box. It's not an Outlook setting, but a Windows display incident.

Here are the most reliable ways to fix it, starting with the simplest.

1. Force the Window to "Restore Down" with a Keyboard Shortcut

This technique forces the window to exit its problematic full-screen state and reactivate the standard window controls:

• Open an email with an attachment in Outlook.
• Click the attachment and choose Save As to open the full-screen dialog box. Make sure this box is the active window.
• Press the keyboard shortcut: Alt + Spacebar. A small context menu will appear in the upper-left corner of the stuck window.
• 
• Press the letter R (for Restore).
• The window should now snap out of full-screen and become a normal, resizable window.

2. Manual Window Size Reset (Save the New Size)

Once the window is no longer full-screen (after completing the steps above), you must force Windows to remember a new, correct size:

• Resize the window to your desired size and position (e.g., make it half-screen).
• Crucially: Do NOT drag the window to the top or side edge of the screen (avoid Aero Snap). Instead, manually drag the edges and corners to set the size.
• Now, hold down the Ctrl key and click the X (Close) button on the Save Attachment dialog box's title bar to save the current size and position of that specific window type.
• Test: Try saving another attachment. The window should now open at the smaller size and position you set.

3. Reset File Explorer's Window Memory

Windows stores the size and position of these dialog boxes in its File Explorer memory. Resetting this can clear the stuck state:

• Open File Explorer (the folder icon on your taskbar).
• Click the three dots (...) in the toolbar, then select Options.
• Go to the View tab.
• Click the Reset Folders button, and confirm.
• Click Apply, then OK.
• Restart Outlook and test saving an attachment again.

4. Check for Updates

This behavior is occasionally caused by a temporary software incident, which can be solved by getting the latest updates.

• Go to Windows Settings > Windows Update and check for new updates.
• Open Outlook, go to File > Office Account > Update Options > Update Now.

5. Check for Tablet Mode

If you are on an older version of Windows 10 or a touch device, check for Tablet Mode:

• Click the Network/Volume/Battery icon cluster in the bottom-right of your taskbar to open the Quick Settings panel.
• Look for a "Tablet mode" button and ensure it is turned OFF.

Please give those steps a try when you have a moment. If the issue persists or you have trouble following any of these methods, don't hesitate to reach back out.

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