Microsoft is currently investigating a recognised problem that is leading to notable delays for Microsoft 365 customers. Microsoft is currently investigating a recognised problem that is leading to notable delays for Microsoft 365 customers while attempting to save attachments in Outlook Desktop to a network share.
This issue specifically impacts Outlook Desktop when configured to save attachments to a network path.
Users encountering this issue will observe a "Trying to connect" dialog box appearing for several minutes before the eventual loading of the "Save As" dialog.
The issue has been verified in M365 Apps, specifically in Current Channel Version 2304 (Build 16327.20214) and Monthly Enterprise Channel Version 2304 (Build 16327.20324).
Back in February, Microsoft resolved a similar bug that affected Office Suite applications (such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), acknowledging that it also impacted the process of saving email attachments to a network share.
Temporary fix
As Outlook, Office, and Windows Teams continue to investigate and work on a permanent fix, a temporary solution has been offered by Redmond for users experiencing the issue.
To work around this known problem, you need to follow these steps:
Roll back M365 Apps to a previous build by using the "How to revert to an earlier version of Office" method.
Set the WebClient service Startup type to Disabled through Windows Services:
Open services.msc from Run (Win+R).
Locate the WebClient service, open its properties.
Stop the service and change the Startup type to Disabled.
Microsoft also provided a workaround on Friday for another bug that caused Outlook Desktop to block opening hyperlinks with FQDN (fully qualified domain name) or IP address after installing the July 2023 security updates. However, applying this workaround may increase the attack surface on affected systems, potentially exposing users and their data to attacks.
Earlier in June, an additional temporary fix was released for an issue affecting Outlook for Microsoft 365 customers, which caused slow starts and freezes.
