unblock a macro in an excel file in Office

Question

Cannot find the check box to allow a macro? It is not where the internet says it will be: Properties/General.

Answer 1

Dear @Ken, 

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

As a moderator, I don't have the tools to investigate your specific account directly because this is a user-to-user support forum. Moderators and contributors, including external Microsoft employees, cannot directly intervene in Microsoft product features or access back-end systems. Our role is limited to providing technical guidance on reported issues, requests, or ideas. However, I will try my best to guide you as clearly as possible.     

To help me assist you better, could you please help me answer a few questions below:    

Could you please help me go to File > Account > then help me take screenshot full your screen so I can see your Product Information, your Excel Version and your account. Thank you! 

May I ask that where the file which you want to unblock macro is stored? In OneDrive, SharePoint or in Downloads? 

The Unblock checkbox only appears if the file was downloaded from the Internet, an email, Teams, OneDrive, or SharePoint. 

Files created directly on your computer (New > Excel) will not have an Unblock option. 

If the Unblock checkbox is missing, it means the file is already unblocked or was never blocked in the first place. Because Windows only blocks files that originate from external sources. If you create a file directly on your computer, Windows considers it an internal file, no matter where you save it. 

In this case, the macros will not be blocked. 

Could you tell me where your file is currently saved? I can then show you how to check if the file is actually blocked or not. 

I am looking forward to your response so we can move forward with this!  

Answer 2

If you cannot find the checkbox to unblock a macro in an Excel file, it may be due to the file being located on a network share or being considered part of the Internet zone. Here are some steps you can take to unblock the macro:

1. Remove Mark of the Web: Right-click on the file, select Properties, and check if there is an Unblock checkbox on the General tab. If it is available, select it to unblock the file.
2. PowerShell Command: If the checkbox is not available, you can use the PowerShell cmdlet Unblock-File to remove the ZoneId value from the file, which will allow VBA macros to run by default.
3. Trusted Locations: If the file is stored on a network share, consider designating that location as a Trusted site or adding it to the Local intranet zone to prevent macros from being blocked.
4. Accessing from OneDrive or SharePoint: If the file is stored on OneDrive or SharePoint, ensure users open the file using the Open in Desktop App option or remove the Mark of the Web from a local copy before opening it.

If these options do not resolve the issue, you may need to check your organization's policy settings regarding macro security.

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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