‘Content can’t be displayed because S/MIME control isn’t available’

This problem usually occurs for users who are utilizing Outlook Web Access (OWA) in Internet Explorer on a Windows PC. As an email client, users are frustrated because they cannot open emails or download attachments due to this significant issue.

The error occurs on almost all versions of Windows, including Windows 7, 8, and 10. Official methods for resolving the issue are often either unhelpful or too general, but some users have managed to resolve the problem using their own methods. We have gathered those solutions and put them together in an article for you to check out.

What Causes the “The content can’t be displayed because the S/MIME control isn’t available” Error?

The list of possible causes is well-known, and users have utilized these causes to determine the steps needed to resolve the issue. Check out the list below to identify your scenario and use the appropriate method to resolve the problem.

Solution 1: Add Your OWA Page in Trusted Sites and Use Compatibility View

This is one of the most successful methods to resolve the issue. Adding a page into Trusted Sites in Internet Explorer will circumvent some issues, and Compatibility View can make it more compatible with various versions of both Internet Explorer and OWA. Ensure you perform both steps of this method to resolve the problem.

1. Open Internet Explorer by searching for it in the Start menu or by locating it on your PC, and click the cog icon located in the top right corner to access the drop-down menu.
2. From the menu that opens, click on Internet options and wait for the window to open.

3. Navigate to the Security tab and click on Trusted Sites >> Sites. Paste the link to your OWA page and click the Add option. Make sure you include the correct link.

4. After you add the site, make sure you disable the Require server verification (https) for all sites in this zone option under the Websites section.

5. After that, head back to the home page of Internet Explorer and click the cog icon located in the top right corner to access the drop-down menu. From the menu that opens, click on Compatibility View Settings and wait for the window to open.
6. Under the Add this website entry, paste the same link you pasted in the previous steps and click the Add button right next to the box. Click the Close button afterward.

7. Check to see if the problem still appears when trying to access emails in OWA.

Solution 2: Install S/MIME

If you haven’t installed S/MIME initially, you can’t expect it to work. Additionally, if you have recently performed updates to your operating system, it’s possible the update reset some settings or broke the installation. Therefore, it’s good to perform the process again using the steps below.

1. Open your OWA client and log into it. Once fully logged in, click the Options button at the top right part of the window and click the See All Options… button from the drop-down menu.

2. After the Options window opens, click the Settings option in the left-hand pane. Click the S/MIME tab from the menu that appears and check the hyperlink with the Download the S/MIME control.
3. Clicking the link will open a browser window and either a download will start, or you may be prompted with the option to Run or Save the file. Either way, make sure you run it after the download is complete.

4. Follow the instructions on-screen and the installation should complete quickly. Refresh your browser and you should see a yellow bar pop up at the top of the webpage saying “This website wants to run the following add-on”. Right-click on it and choose Run Add-on on All websites from the dropdown menu.

5. An Internet Explorer – Security Warning window will appear, so make sure you click Run. Check to see if the problem still appears when managing emails.

Solution 3: Run Internet Explorer as an Administrator

Installing S/MIME to use alongside Internet Explorer sometimes requires administrative permissions for the browser. You won’t be able to perform this method if you don’t actually have admin rights on the computer. Running the browser as an admin shouldn’t have negative consequences.

1. Locate the iexplore.exe file on your computer by opening File Explorer and navigating to C:\Program Files\internet explorer. Open its properties by right-clicking its entry either on the Desktop, Start menu, or Search results window and choose Properties from the pop-up context menu.
2. Navigate to the Compatibility tab in the Properties window and check the box next to the Run this program as an administrator option before saving the changes by clicking OK or Apply.

3. Confirm any dialogs that appear which prompt you to confirm the choice with admin privileges. Internet Explorer should launch with admin privileges from the next startup. Check to see if the problem still appears afterward.

Solution 4: Deselect a Checkbox in Internet Options

There is an option inside Internet Explorer’s Internet Options that has caused issues for OWA users regarding the use of S/MIME. Deselecting it has helped some users. It is quite easy to do this, so make sure you try this final method before giving up troubleshooting.

1. Open Internet Explorer by searching for it in the Start menu or by locating it on your PC and click the cog icon located in the top right corner to access the drop-down menu.
2. From the menu that opens, click on Internet options and wait for the window to open.

3. Navigate to the Advanced tab and scroll within the Settings window until you reach the list of Security-related options. Make sure you clear the checkbox next to the Do not save encrypted pages to disk option!

4. Make sure you Apply the changes you made and restart your computer before you check to see if the problem still appears.