Word 2024 Pro Plus on Windows 11: Macros have been disabled

Question

Title: Word 2024 Pro-Plus on Windows 11:  Macros have been disabled

Text:

I have tried a number of macros and all get the same message in several documents.  These macros used to work in Word 2024 Pro Plus on Windows 11.

I have done these things:

1.      I have gone into the Trust Center and chosen:

·        Enable all macros

·        Trust access to the VBA project object model

Then I clicked OK and exited all copies of Word which were open.

I re-opened my document, but I got the same error as before.

2.     I have used Files Explorer to right-clicked the file and gone to Properties, General Tab.  However, the Unblock check box does not appear.

On the Security tab, Advanced, it shows I have full control, administrator and by my CenturyLink.net email address.  It shows Inherited from: “C:\Users****” (my folder name)

3.     It does not trust this file because the source of the file is not trusted:

    C:\Users**\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates\Normal.dotm

           In Word, I went to

File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Trusted Locations

               Locations already trusted:

C:\Users**\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates\

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Root\Templates\

C:\Users***\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Word\Startup\

For each of them I added checking:

            “Subfolders from this location are to be trusted”

            I added now:  C:\Users****\Documents\

And checked “Subfolders from this location are to be trusted”

When a document opens, it says “Macros have been disabled” and offers two things to check on:

“Macros have been disabled”

            When I click on that it goes to File, Info and gives me an icon to click:

                        Enable Content, but ONLY FOR THIS SESSION

                        Advanced Options again just shows:

     The file not trusted because of its location:

C:\Users**\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates\Normal.dotm

“Options” shows me the file not trusted because of its location:

C:\Users**\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates\Normal.dotm

I have spent probably 2 hours trying to fix this.

Like everyone else, I bought Office to help with my work.

However, sometimes I feel that I am working for it.

Thanks in advance. 

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Moved from Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Other

Answer 1

Dear @Marvin Bergeleen,

First of all, I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience you’ve experienced with blocked macros in Word

For better assist, please kindly let me know some information:

• Please provide your Word version by going to File > Account > About Word?
• Is the spreadsheet stored on your local drive, a network share, or a synced folder like OneDrive/SharePoint?
• Does this happen with all downloaded macro-enabled files or just this one spreadsheet?
• Are there any users in your organization who have experienced the same issue?

In the meantime, please help me review and check these steps to narrow down the problem: 

1.Enable Trusted Locations in Word

• Go to File > Options.
• Select Trust Center, then click Trusted Locations from the left pane.
• Please verify and configure the following settings:

Check: Allow Trusted Locations on my network (not recommended)

Uncheck (ensure this option is not selected): Disable all Trusted Locations

2.File block Settings on Trust Center

• Trust Center Settings window > On right pane click > Protected View > Uncheck the "Enable Protected View for files originating from the Internet > Click OK. (test by disabling temporarily)
• Trust Center Settings window again > On right pane click > File Block Settings, try UNCHECKING all boxes.
• Save and Restart
• Test the file and macros

3.Resolve missing VBA references / 32-bit DLL Issues.

• Open the files. If you get a compile error, click Debug to open the VBA editor.
• In VBA > Tools > References. Look for any references marked missing: uncheck it or fix by installing the required library.
• If the file is a 32-bit Active X/COM DLL, like swedll32.dll or other legacy DLL, install the 64-bit equivalent or dun the 32-bit Office build (or update the code to avoid that DLL). If the DLL is essential and only 32-bit exists, you either need 32-bit Office or an updated component compiled for 64-bit.

4.Disable suspicious Add-ins.

• In Word > File > Options > Add-ins.
• On the bottom part >choose COM Add-ins > Go > Uncheck all non-Microsoft add-ins > OK
• Restart Word and test the file with Macro.

5.Repair and Update try to Repair Word.

• Settings > Apps > Installed Apps > Microsoft Office > Modify > Quick Repair (as first try) > Online Repair (if quick repair fails). For reference: Repair an Office application

6.Check organizational IT policies (If applicable to your organization): 

Please kindly contact your IT Admin to check Policies for Microsoft 365 apps:

• Ensure your organization IT did not enable "Block macros from running in Office files from the internet" for Word in https://config.office.comMicrosoft 365 Apps Admin Center > Customization > Policy Management.

Find Your Microsoft 365 Admin: If you’re unsure who the Global Admin is within your organization, you can find guidance on locating them here: How do I find my Microsoft 365 admin?

I hope this information is helpful. Please follow these steps and let me know if it works for you. If not, we can work together to resolve this.

Thank you for your patience and your understanding. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out.

I'm looking forward for your reply.

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Answer 2

In Word 2024 Pro Plus, the behavior being seen is consistent with the newer security model where macros from certain locations or with certain origins are blocked regardless of the in‑app macro settings, and where Normal.dotm (and other template files) may not be treated as fully trusted even if the folder is listed as a trusted location.

Key points from the current behavior:

• Even with Enable all macros selected in File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Macro Settings, Word can still block macros based on:
  • The file’s origin (for example, if it was ever marked as coming from the internet), and
  • Administrative or policy settings that override local Trust Center choices.
• The banner “Macros have been disabled” with only an Enable Content (for this session) option indicates that Word is not treating the file (or its template Normal.dotm) as a trusted document and is enforcing the stricter macro blocking behavior.
• The message that the file is not trusted because of its location and the repeated reference to C:\Users\**\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates\Normal.dotm shows that Word is evaluating the template’s trust status, not just the document’s.

From the provided documentation:

1. Office now blocks macros in files that it considers to be from the internet by default and shows a Security Risk banner. Previously, if the VBA Macro Notification Settings policy was not configured, Office would fall back to the user’s Trust Center macro settings (for example, “Disable all macros with notification”) and allow enabling macros via Enable Content in the Trust Bar.
2. With the newer behavior, when the relevant policy is set to Enabled or effectively treated as enabled, macros in files from the internet are blocked and cannot be enabled simply by changing Trust Center macro settings.
3. Trusted documents and trusted locations are still honored, but:
   • A file cannot become a trusted document if an administrator or policy has disabled the relevant active content type (for example, a policy equivalent to Disable all macros without notification).
   • Some files, including those affected by certain policy settings, cannot be made trusted documents at all.

Given that:

• The document and Normal.dotm are under the user profile, and the folders are already listed as trusted locations with “Subfolders from this location are to be trusted” checked.
• The Unblock checkbox does not appear in the file’s Properties dialog, suggesting Windows is not currently marking the file as coming from the internet.
• Word still reports that the file is not trusted because of its location and only allows enabling macros for the current session.

The most likely cause is that an organizational or local policy is controlling macro behavior and overriding the Trust Center settings. Specifically, the VBA Macro Notification Settings or Block macros from running in Office files from the Internet policies can:

• Force macros from certain locations or origins to be blocked.
• Prevent files from becoming trusted documents.
• Cause Word to ignore user‑level macro settings and trusted locations when the policy is set to a more restrictive state.

To resolve this in a managed or policy‑controlled environment, the controlling policy must be adjusted so that:

• Macros are not fully blocked for the relevant locations or file origins, and
• Either the default “Disable all macros with notification” behavior is restored or a less restrictive VBA Macro Notification Settings policy is applied.

Once the policy is relaxed, Word will again respect Trust Center macro settings and trusted locations, and the Enable Content action can make the document trusted so macros run without being disabled each time.

If the device is not intentionally managed by an organization, the presence of such a policy may come from:

• A previously applied Group Policy on the machine.
• Security software or configuration tools that set Office macro policies.

In that case, the policy must be removed or changed at the system or Group Policy level; changing settings only inside Word will not be sufficient.

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References:

• Macros from the internet are blocked by default in Office
• Enable or disable macros in Microsoft 365 files
• Trusted documents
• This document was opened with macros disabled