How can I unblock macros on Windows 10?

Question

How can I unblock macros in an Excel file? I tried the instructions of clicking on Properties, then General, then unclick the checkbox...but there was no checkbox. Not sure where to go from here. Thanks. Windows 10 Enterprise.

Answer 1

To unblock macros in an Excel file on Windows 10, you can follow these steps:

1. Remove Mark of the Web: If the Unblock checkbox is not visible in the file properties, it might be due to the file being located on a network share or a trusted website. In such cases, you can try the following:
   • Use the PowerShell cmdlet Unblock-File to remove the ZoneId value from the file. This cmdlet allows VBA macros to run by default. You can run it in PowerShell as follows:

          Unblock-File -Path "C:\path\to\your\file.xlsm"
     

2. Designate Trusted Locations: If you frequently use files from a specific network location, you can designate that location as a Trusted site or add it to the Local intranet zone. This will prevent macros from being blocked in files accessed from those locations.
3. Open in Desktop App: If the file is stored on OneDrive or SharePoint, ensure that you open it using the Open in Desktop App option. If you download the file locally, remember to remove the Mark of the Web as mentioned above.

If you still face issues, check your organization's Group Policy settings, as they may restrict macro execution based on security policies.

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References:

• Guidance on allowing VBA macros to run in files you trust
• Steps to take to allow VBA macros to run in files that you trust

Answer 2

Hi @Mohalley Snedeker, Jacqueline J,

Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum.  

We suggest you follow this guideline to unblock macros in your files:

1- Remove the Mark of the Web (MOTW)  

• Since you mentioned that the Unblock options is not available, it's usually because that your file is currently saved in a OneDrive or SharePoint folder and it will be considered as from the internet.
• You can try disconnecting OneDrive/SharePoint temporarily or move the file to your local folder and try the Unblock Security box again.
• Open File Explorer, navigate to your Excel file that you need to enable macros 
• Right click on it and choose Properties 
• In General tab, check the Unblock box for the Security option. 

2- Add the file location as a trusted location  

• Open Excel and go to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings 

• Select Trusted Locations in the left bane > Add new location > Browse and navigate to the folder where you keep the files need to enable macro 
• Press OK to close all the dialog boxes then try opening your macro-enabled excel file again 

3- Enable macros in Excel 

• Open the macro Excel file 
• If you see a yellow warning bar at the top with the message "SECURITY WARNING: Macros have been disabled", click Enable Content to enable macro for the file 

You can also adjust the trust center settings for macros by 

• Go to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings 
• Click Macro Settings and choose between "Disable VBA macros with notification" (which will show a yellow warning bar as I mentioned above) and "Enable VBA macros" (only if you're sure the file is safe) 
• Then click OK to save the settings

For better visualization about this guideline, you can watch this video Unblock macros downloaded from the internet | Excel Off The Grid | Microsoft macro security changes… 

(Note: We're providing this information as a convenience to you. The sites are not controlled by Microsoft and we can't make any representations regarding quality, safety or suitability of any software or information found there. Please make sure you completely understand the risk before retrieving any suggestions from the above link) 

Please understand that our initial response does not always resolve the issue immediately. However, you can try workaround and feel free to share if it works in the comments, I'll be glad to continue working with you to find a solution.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. I'm looking forward to your reply.

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