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Apr 30, 2024 · Removing protected view from Word is an easy process that can be accomplished in just a few steps. Whether you’re working on a document for work, school, or personal use, knowing how to disable this feature allows you greater flexibility to edit and customize your files.
Sep 29, 2016 · By default, Word forces Protected View for documents that originate from internet locations (for example). In the user interface, you can control this by using the options at File | Options | Trust Center | Trust Center Settings | Protected View.
- Overview
- Included in this article
- Why is my file opening in Protected View?
- How do I exit Protected View so that I can edit, save, or print?
- Why can't I exit Protected View?
- A problem was detected with my file
- I want to change my Protected View settings
- Protected View Trust Center settings explained
- I want to revoke trust from a document/documents that I've previously trusted to not open in Protected View
- What happens to add-ins in Protected View?
Files from the Internet and from other potentially unsafe locations can contain viruses, worms, or other kinds of malware that can harm your computer. To help protect your computer, files from these potentially unsafe locations are opened as read only or in Protected View. By using Protected View, you can read a file, see its contents and enable ed...
Protected View is a read-only mode where most editing functions are disabled. There are several reasons why a file opens in Protected View:
•The file was opened from an Internet location - When you see the message in Protected View that says "Be careful - files from the Internet can contain viruses. Unless you need to edit, it's safer to stay in Protected View.", the file is being opened from the Internet. Files from the Internet can have viruses and other harmful content embedded in them. We recommend you only edit the document if you trust its contents.
•The file was received as an Outlook attachment and your computer policy has defined the sender as unsafe - When you see the message in Protected View that says "Be careful - email attachments can contain viruses. Unless you need to edit, it's safer to stay in Protected View.", the file was received from a potentially unsafe sender. We recommend you only edit the document if you trust its contents.
•The file was opened from an unsafe location - When you see the message in Protected View that says "This file was opened from a potentially unsafe location. Click for more details.", the file was opened from a folder that is unsafe. An example of an unsafe location is your Temporary Internet Files folder. We recommend you only edit the document if you trust its contents.
•The file is blocked by File Block - The following images are examples. Learn more about File Block
Editing isn’t allowed.
If you must read the file, and don't have to edit it, you can remain in Protected View. If you know the file is from a trustworthy source, and you want to edit, save, or print the file, you can exit Protected View. After you leave Protected View, you've effectively remove read only, and the file becomes a trusted document.
If you can’t exit Protected View, it's possible that your systems administrator has rules established that prevent leaving Protected View. Speak to your administrator to determine whether such rules have been made.
Why do I see this message?
This message can appear for a malicious file, which was created by a hacker to infect your computer with a virus or steal important information. This message means that editing the file could be dangerous. Sometimes the message appears for files that are damaged, for example: •The disk where the file is stored could be worn out or broken. •The file was created or edited with a program that has a problem. •An unexpected error occurred while copying the file to your computer, which can be caused by a problem with your Internet connection. •There could be a problem with how Microsoft 365 looks for problems in files. We work to make it better, but it’s not perfect.
Can I edit the file?
If the file is from someone you know and trust, you can choose to edit it. But we recommend that you avoid editing a file that seems suspicious. For example: •The file came from someone you don’t know or trust. •You weren’t expecting to receive the file or it doesn't seem like the kind of file that person would send you. •The content of the file seems unusual, for example, it appears to be a bill for something you never bought, or it’s causing your computer to display errors.
What type of files cause file-validation errors?
•Word 97-2003 files (.doc, .dot) •Excel 97-2003 files (.xls, .xla, .xlt, .xlm, .xlb, .xlt) •PowerPoint 97-2003 files (.ppt, .pot., pps, .ppa)
We advise speaking with your administrator before you make changes to your Protected View settings.
1.Click File > Options.
2.Click Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Protected View.
3.Make selections that you want.
•Enable Protected View for files originating from the Internet The Internet is considered an unsafe location because of its many opportunities for malicious intent.
•Enable Protected View for files that are located in potentially unsafe locations This refers to folders on your computer or network that are considered unsafe, such as the Temporary Internet folder or other folders assigned by your administrator.
•Enable Protected View for Outlook attachments Attachments in emails can come from unreliable or unknown sources.
•Always open untrusted Text-Based files (.csv, .dif and .sylk) in protected view If this Excel-specific setting is enabled, text-based files opened from an untrusted location are always opened in Protected View. If you disable or don’t configure this setting, text-based files opened from an untrusted location are not opened in Protected View.
This setting can also be configured by an administrator as a policy via Group Policy or the Microsoft 365 cloud policy service.
•Always open untrusted Database files (.dbf) in protected view If this Excel-specific setting is enabled, database files opened from an untrusted location are always opened in Protected View. If you disable or don’t configure this setting, database files opened from an untrusted location are not opened in Protected View.
If you previously trusted a document or documents to open outside of Protected View by either (1) clicking "Enable Editing" or "Trust Documents From This Person" in the message bar or (2) clicking on "Edit Anyway" when the file fails validation, please refer to guidance under Trusted documents for removing this trust decision and making such docume...
Add-ins may run when a file opens in Protected View, but may not function as expected. If your add-ins aren’t running correctly, contact the add-in's author. An updated version, which is compatible with Protected View, may be needed.
Oct 4, 2023 · Here's how to turn off Protected View in Word: use Microsoft Officer Trusted Center or disable it permanently from the Registry.
May 9, 2019 · You can easily bypass Protected View if you need to edit a certain document or other file, but you should also know where and how to manage Protected View.
Jul 24, 2024 · Disabling Protected View in Word is straightforward. You’ll need to navigate through the Word settings to find the Trust Center, where you can adjust the Protected View settings. This process ensures that you can open documents without the read-only restriction, facilitating easier editing.
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Mar 2, 2023 · To the best of my understanding (and correct me if I'm wrong), the purpose of Protected View is to display the document without executing any macros that the document may contain, in case those macros are malicious.
