Acccess Macros

Question

This thing no matter what wont let me get access to this downloaded link for this assignment and its so annoying no matter how how try to get to it to change stuff its still saying microsoft is blocking it even when I try to unblock it its not working, its so dumb.

Answer 1

Hi @Young, Brooklynn,

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

Based on what you shared, can you confirm whether you are having the warning message "Microsoft has blocked macros from running because the source of this file is untrusted"?

If that's the case, the previous response by Q&A Assist does provide basic troubleshooting steps for unblocking macros and I suggest you can try them to see if it helps. The guideline I provide below will have some steps as same as the previous reply but with some more detailed explanation:

1- Remove the Mark of the Web (MOTW)  

• Open File Explorer, navigate to the 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. 

If the "Unlock" checkbox isn't available, you can use PowerShell to unlock your file's macro (if your device has permission to use PowerShell):

• In the search bar, type PowerShell and select "Run as administrator."
• Then, paste this script into PowerShell > Enter to unlock your file:

  Unblock-File -Path "C:\Path\YourFile.docx"

2- Add the file location as a trusted location  

• Open Access 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 file again 

3- Enable macros

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 "Enable VBA macros" (only if you're sure the file is safe) 
• Then click OK to save the settings

For references: Macros from the internet are blocked by default in Office - Microsoft 365 Apps | Microsoft Learn.

Please understand that our initial response does not always resolve the issue immediately. However, you can try these steps and let me know if it works for you.  

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to share them in the comments on this post so I can continue to support you.    

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

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Answer 2

Macros in files downloaded from the internet or email are blocked by default in Microsoft 365 apps, which is why the assignment file keeps being blocked even after download.

Try these steps in order on the downloaded file (for example, an Access/Excel/Word macro-enabled file):

1. Remove “Mark of the Web” (Unblock the file)
   1. Close the file and the Office app.
   2. In File Explorer, right-click the downloaded assignment file.
   3. Select Properties.
   4. On the General tab, look for a Security section at the bottom.
   5. If there is an Unblock checkbox, select it, then click Apply and OK.
   6. Reopen the file in the desktop app and try the macros again.
   If the Unblock checkbox is missing or doesn’t work and the file is on your local drive, an alternative is for an admin to run this PowerShell command on the file:

      Unblock-File -Path "C:\path\to\your\file.accdb"  # or .xlsm/.docm, etc.
   

   This removes the ZoneId so macros can run.
2. If the file is on a network share or school website If the file is opened directly from a school network share or web location and Unblock is not available or has no effect:
   • The location may be treated as Internet zone, so macros stay blocked.
   • In that case, only your school IT/admin can fix it by either:
     • Adding that server/URL as a Trusted site or Local intranet zone using the Site to Zone Assignment List policy, or
     • Moving the file to a folder that is already in Trusted sites or Local intranet.
3. If the file is on OneDrive or SharePoint (including Teams) For assignment files stored in OneDrive/SharePoint/Teams:
   • Use Open in Desktop App from the web instead of downloading via the browser. Files opened this way do not get Mark of the Web.
   • If the file was downloaded via browser and is blocked, use the Unblock steps above on the local copy.
   • For groups (like a class) that need macros regularly, your school IT can:
     • Set the OneDrive/SharePoint domain as a Trusted site using the Site to Zone Assignment List policy, or
     • Have you save/open the file from a Trusted Location on your device.
4. If none of the above works
   • Macro blocking can also be enforced by school policies (Group Policy / Trust Center). Only your school IT can change those.
   • Provide them with the exact error and ask them to either:
     • Remove Mark of the Web on the file for you, or
     • Put the assignment location into Trusted sites or a Trusted Location, or
     • Temporarily adjust the macro policy for that assignment.

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References:

• Macros from the internet are blocked by default in Office