Downloading Docx from IE – Setting MIME Types in IIS

by

Yes, it’s just an IIS setting: by default, it will only serve files for which the extension matches a defined MIME type.

To allow .docx files to be downloaded, follow the steps from the KB article linked above:

  1. Open the IIS Microsoft Management Console (MMC), right-click the local computer name, and then click Properties.
  2. Click MIME Types.
  3. Click New.
  4. In the Extension box, type the file name extension that you want (in this case, .docx).
  5. In the MIME Type box, type application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document (thanks to @web developer for pointing out this MIME type, which supercedes the ‘application/msword’ from my original answer).
  6. Apply the new settings. Note that you must restart the World Wide Web Publishing Service or wait for the worker process to recycle for the changes to take effect. In this example, IIS now serves files with the .docx extension.

Note that the KB article uses the generic application/octet-stream MIME type: although that generally should work, if a more specific MIME type exists, such as application/msword, it’s always best to use that.

More Related Contents:

  1. Config Error: This configuration section cannot be used at this path
  2. How do I configure IIS for URL Rewriting an AngularJS application in HTML5 mode?
  3. asp.net core web api published in IIS after moved to different IIS server pc gives error 500.19 (0x8007000d)
  4. IIS_IUSRS and IUSR permissions in IIS8
  5. How to configure static content cache per folder and extension in IIS7?
  6. Using Custom Domains With IIS Express
  7. How can I create a self-signed cert for localhost?
  8. Port 80 is being used by SYSTEM (PID 4), what is that?
  9. IIS: Where can I find the IIS logs?
  10. Is Chrome ignoring Cache-Control: max-age?
  11. mod_rewrite equivalent for IIS 7.0 [closed]
  12. How to redirect a URL path in IIS?
  13. “405 method not allowed” in IIS7.5 for “PUT” method
  14. Using makecert for Development SSL
  15. web.config redirect non-www to www
  16. How do I enable upload of large files in classic ASP on IIS 7?
  17. Virtual directory inside of ASP.NET Core app in IIS
  18. ASP.NET Core deployment to IIS error: Development environment should not be enabled in deployed applications
  19. IIS 7.5 application pool uses wrong %APPDATA% for custom user as identity
  20. How do I configure a .net core API to work in IIS?
  21. How to guide for getting a classic asp application working under IIS 7.0
  22. How to disable HTTP/2 on IIS 10
  23. How do I create a user account for basic authentication?
  24. How can I indicate to users that my IIS website is undergoing maintenance?
  25. Allow loading of JSON files in Visual Studio Express 2013 for Web
  26. C_GetSlotList Failing when called from IIS but not from IIS express
  27. IIS URL Rewrite ASP
  28. Configuration required to get Sencha ExtJS TreeGrid example working
  29. Make IIS require SSL client certificate during initial handshake
  30. Asp.Net core MVC application Windows Authentication in IIS

Leave a Comment