Outlook users getting error "Some of the files in this web page aren't in the expected location do you want to download them anyway?"

Question

Outlook users getting error "Some of the files in this web page aren't in the expected location do you want to download them anyway?"

Erik Zimmerman 16

We have had a couple of users getting this error with classic outlook in the last few days since getting a recent update (2608 16.0.20326.20072). Both users have a gmail account in addition to their 365 account and the errors stopped once the gmail account was removed. Has anyone else seen this issue? There were no signatures, stationary etc that would normally cause this issue. It appears to be having a gmail/imap account setup that is causing the problem?

Luke B 10 Reputation points

2026-09-17T12:46:48.0033333+00:00

I'm having this same issue with a customer using IMAP from a different e-mail provider; they are using the same version of Outlook mentioned above (Version 2608 Build 16.0.20326.20072). The popups occur while downloading new messages; Outlook pauses the send/receive when the notice pops up, so I was able to determine that it was only occurring with certain messages, and those were all spam.
Kai-L 19,420 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-09-17T21:24:45.8+00:00

Dear Luke,

Thank you for confirming this, it is a useful data point. Seeing the same behavior on the same build with an IMAP account from a different provider strengthens the case that this is tied to the update rather than to any one mail provider. Your observation that it only triggers on certain messages, and that those were all spam, is a helpful detail as well, since it points at how those messages are structured rather than at the account itself.

Given that, it would be worth raising a support request on your side too. The steps I outlined earlier in the thread still apply, and more cases reported against the same build makes it far more likely to reach the product group. Please include the build number, the fact that it is an IMAP account with an external provider, and the detail that the prompt only appears on specific messages. If you are able to save one of the triggering messages as an .eml file, that would also give support something concrete to reproduce with.

Do post back if anything comes of your case. Wishing you all the best.
Ari 0 Reputation points

2026-09-18T21:37:54.7933333+00:00

I am also having this issue, but not just with spam. Any incoming email on an IMAP account that has embedded links to web-based resources (photos, logos, web pages, etc.) will prompt this pop-up. (Of course, spam always has such links, but so does lots of legit email.) The incoming email won't enter the inbox until "Yes" is selected on the pop-up. And, I can't continue to do ANYTHING in Outlook until I've clicked "yes" on the pop-up. If multiple emails with embedded links are fetched from the server, the pop-up pops up multiple times. REALLY annoying. I have this on Microsoft® Outlook® 2024 MSO (Version 2608 Build 16.0.20326.20072) 64-bit.

Starting Outlook in safe mode doesn't help. Uninstalling and reinstalling Office doesn't help.

1 answer

Your answer

Luke B 10 Reputation points

2026-09-17T12:46:48.0033333+00:00

I'm having this same issue with a customer using IMAP from a different e-mail provider; they are using the same version of Outlook mentioned above (Version 2608 Build 16.0.20326.20072). The popups occur while downloading new messages; Outlook pauses the send/receive when the notice pops up, so I was able to determine that it was only occurring with certain messages, and those were all spam.
Kai-L 19,420 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-09-17T21:24:45.8+00:00

Dear Luke,

Thank you for confirming this, it is a useful data point. Seeing the same behavior on the same build with an IMAP account from a different provider strengthens the case that this is tied to the update rather than to any one mail provider. Your observation that it only triggers on certain messages, and that those were all spam, is a helpful detail as well, since it points at how those messages are structured rather than at the account itself.

Given that, it would be worth raising a support request on your side too. The steps I outlined earlier in the thread still apply, and more cases reported against the same build makes it far more likely to reach the product group. Please include the build number, the fact that it is an IMAP account with an external provider, and the detail that the prompt only appears on specific messages. If you are able to save one of the triggering messages as an .eml file, that would also give support something concrete to reproduce with.

Do post back if anything comes of your case. Wishing you all the best.
Ari 0 Reputation points

2026-09-18T21:37:54.7933333+00:00

I am also having this issue, but not just with spam. Any incoming email on an IMAP account that has embedded links to web-based resources (photos, logos, web pages, etc.) will prompt this pop-up. (Of course, spam always has such links, but so does lots of legit email.) The incoming email won't enter the inbox until "Yes" is selected on the pop-up. And, I can't continue to do ANYTHING in Outlook until I've clicked "yes" on the pop-up. If multiple emails with embedded links are fetched from the server, the pop-up pops up multiple times. REALLY annoying. I have this on Microsoft® Outlook® 2024 MSO (Version 2608 Build 16.0.20326.20072) 64-bit.

Starting Outlook in safe mode doesn't help. Uninstalling and reinstalling Office doesn't help.

Answer 1

Dear Erik,

As a forum moderator, I am not able to inspect your tenant or the affected machines to diagnose and fix this directly. My role here is limited to general guidance you can apply from your side. Your testing points strongly at a regression involving classic Outlook build 16.0.20326.20072 combined with a Gmail or IMAP account, particularly since removing the Gmail account stops the prompt entirely. I have not seen this specific error documented as a known issue for that build, so at this stage it looks like something worth reporting rather than something with a published fix. To firm up the evidence, on one affected machine:

Start Outlook in Safe Mode: press window + R > outlook.exe /safe to rule out add-ins.

If the prompt remains, create a temporary Outlook profile containing:

Only the Microsoft 365 account
Then add the Gmail account and retest

For reference: Create a profile in classic Outlook for Windows | Microsoft Support

Note exactly when the prompt appears, whether at startup, when selecting the Gmail mailbox, when opening a specific message, or when composing or replying.

Check how the Gmail account was added, through Google OAuth or manual IMAP configuration.

If adding Gmail to a clean profile reproduces it immediately, that is strong evidence of an Outlook and Gmail interaction rather than corrupted signatures or stationery.

If the Gmail mailbox is not urgently required in classic Outlook, remove it temporarily and use Gmail in a browser. Avoid changing registry security settings or automatically allowing the unexpected downloads.

Because multiple users were affected shortly after the same update, I recommend that the Global Admin in your organization create a service request with Microsoft Support. A technical support engineer can perform a remote session to investigate the situation, verify the backend configurations, and run any necessary synchronization tools to resolve the problem. If the issue requires further attention, they can escalate it to a specialized team for deeper analysis. For detailed instructions on how to get support, please refer to Get support - Microsoft 365 admin. If you don't know who your IT administrator is, please refer to this article: How do I find my Microsoft 365 admin? - Microsoft Support

For additional assistance, use this link to find the appropriate contact number from your region: Contact Microsoft customer support | Microsoft Support

I truly hope you get your issue resolved swiftly. Please know that even though I can't directly intervene, directing you to the correct, specialized support is the most effective help I can provide from my position. I will leave this thread open in case other members are seeing the same thing on that build. Thank you for your patience and understanding. Please let me know if you need anything else. Wishing you all the best.

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Hornblower409 15,820 Reputation points

2026-09-20T05:50:10.12+00:00

Just FYI - Similar thread at
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/6003039/some-of-the-files-in-this-web-page-are-not-in-the