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Please stop changing core functionality in Microsoft Office without notice.

user 0 Reputation points
2026-04-08T14:06:46.0533333+00:00

I rely on Word’s macro behavior for my work, and removing cross‑document macro access has broken workflows that have existed for decades across multiple versions of Office. These changes were not communicated, not documented, and not optional. They have caused real harm to productivity and reliability.

When customers purchase software and build long‑term processes around it, they need stability. Changing or removing features without warning makes the software impossible to trust for future work. These changes do not improve security; they simply remove capabilities that users depend on.

Additionally, this change — along with a growing number of other unjustified and undocumented changes — is the reason I am now recommending alternative tools to several transnational corporations. Microsoft Office can no longer be trusted as a long‑term, reliable tool when core behaviors are altered without transparency or user control.

Please restore the previous macro behavior or provide a supported method to re‑enable it. Users need tools they can rely on, not tools that change unpredictably.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | Other | Windows
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  1. Stefan Blom 341K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2026-04-08T17:37:30.8533333+00:00

    You haven't explained exactly what your practice is with macros. For several years now, it has been more difficult to run macros from documents. This is an effort to increase macro security.

    It is still possible to run macros by putting one or more macro-enabled templates (.dotm) in Word's Startup folder. That hasn't changed from older versions of Word.

    If you provided an explanation of how you want to use macros, someone might be able to suggest a way to do it.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-04-08T14:07:12.7833333+00:00

    Recent changes to macro behavior in Office are part of Microsoft’s security hardening, especially around files and macros originating from the internet or untrusted locations. These changes are documented and, in many cases, configurable by admins, but they do alter long‑standing workflows.

    Key points from the current behavior and available controls:

    1. Macros from the internet are now blocked by default
    • Office on Windows blocks VBA macros in files that are marked as coming from the internet (for example, email attachments, downloads, or files on some network locations).
    • When such a file is opened, Office shows a security risk banner and does not let the macro run directly.
    • This change applies to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Project, Publisher, and Visio on Windows and has been rolled out across the various update channels.
    • Organizations could already enforce this behavior via the “Block macros from running in Office files from the Internet” policy; the new default aligns with that recommended security baseline.
    1. Macro security is controlled per‑application via Trust Center
    • Macro behavior is governed by settings in each Office app’s Trust Center:
      1. File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Macro Settings.
      2. Choose among options such as:
        • Disable all macros without notification
        • Disable all macros with notification
        • Disable all macros except digitally signed macros
    • These settings are per‑application (for example, changing them in Word does not change Excel).
    • In managed environments, admins can lock these settings via policy, which removes user control over them.
    1. Access to the VBA project object model can be restricted
    • For scenarios that depend on cross‑document or programmatic access to VBA projects, the “Trust access to the VBA project object model” setting is critical:
      1. File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Macro Settings.
      2. Enable “Trust access to the VBA project object model” to allow macros to modify or inspect other VBA projects.
    • If this is disabled by policy, cross‑project automation and some advanced macro workflows will fail.
    1. Files may be blocked or opened in restricted modes due to file attributes
    • Files copied from other machines, external drives, or the internet can be marked as downloaded or read‑only by Windows.
    • These attributes can cause Office to open them in protected or viewing modes and can interfere with normal macro behavior.
    • For individual files:
      • Right‑click the file in File Explorer > Properties.
      • Clear the Read‑only attribute.
      • If present, select Unblock in the Security section.
    • For folders, clear Read‑only on the folder and apply to all files and subfolders.
    1. Enabling macros for files blocked as “from the internet”
    • On Windows 10 S and similar hardened configurations, Office uses Windows security zones to decide whether to block macros.
    • To enable macros for a specific file that is blocked as coming from the internet:
      1. Save the file to a local drive or OneDrive.
      2. In File Explorer, right‑click the file > Properties.
      3. On the General tab, in the Security section, select Unblock.
      4. Reopen the file in Word; macros should then be allowed subject to Trust Center settings.
    1. Admin‑level controls on Mac (for completeness)
    • In Office for Mac, admins can centrally enforce macro behavior via configuration profiles:
      • VisualBasicMacroExecutionState (domain com.microsoft.office) controls whether macros are disabled with or without warnings, or enabled without warnings.
      • VBAObjectModelIsTrusted (domain com.microsoft.office) controls whether macros can modify VBA projects.
    • When these are set via configuration profile, the UI is disabled and users cannot override them.
    1. What can be done to restore or approximate previous behavior
    • Within the supported model, the following levers exist:
      • Ensure affected files are not marked as “from the internet” (use the Unblock option and clear Read‑only attributes).
      • In each Office app, adjust Trust Center > Macro Settings to allow macros with notification or to allow signed macros.
      • Enable “Trust access to the VBA project object model” where cross‑document macro access is required, unless blocked by policy.
      • In enterprise environments, use or adjust macro policies (such as the “Block macros from running in Office files from the Internet” policy) to match organizational risk tolerance and workflow needs.
    • If policies are enforced by an organization’s IT department, changes must be made centrally by admins; end users cannot bypass them.
    1. Providing feedback and requesting restoration of behavior
    • Design and behavior issues that disrupt workflows are handled by the product team, not through support forums alone.
    • The documented path is to submit feedback from within Office (Help > Feedback) or via the official feedback channels so that volume and impact are visible to the development group.

    These mechanisms do not fully revert security‑driven changes, but they are the supported ways to regain much of the previous macro behavior and cross‑document automation within the current security model.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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