Word in protected view

When the file is opened in Protected View, Word, Excel, or PowerPoint displays:

• Protected View label in the title bar to the right of the file name,
• a yellow banner at the top of the content pane explains why the file was opened in Protected View.

For example:

Read-only the file opened in Protected View

If you are not going to change the file content, you can hide the banner by clicking the Close button (the X) at its right end.

Open a file in Protected View

To open a file in the Protected View mode, in the Open dialog box (see how to open this dialog box in Word, in Excel), in the Open list, click the arrow on the right side of the Open button, then select Open in Protected View from the drop-down list.

For example, in Word:

Note: You may face a situation when some types of files, regardless of the location, don’t open, and a warning message is displayed. For example:

See File Block settings below to configure which files can be opened and saved or denied opening or saving.

Modify, edit the file opened in Protected View

If you are sure that the file was received/uploaded from a safe location or the trusted sender and want to edit the file content, click the Enable Editing or Edit Anyway button.

Note: Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint remember files you have edited even in suspicious locations. The next time you open this file, it may open without the Protected View mode warning. See how to stop remembering such files below (in the Trusted Documents).

Open files from a location without a Protected View

To open a file from a specific online storage folder without switching into the Protected view mode, you need to add it (and its subfolders if needed) to the Trusted Locations list. Do the following:

   1.   On the File tab, click the Options button:

   2.   In the *** Options dialog box, on the Trust Center tab, click the Trust Center Settings… button.

For example, in Word:

   3.   In the Trust Center dialog box, on the Trusted Locations tab, the User Locations list shows the folders from which you can open files without Protected View.

For example, in Word:

You can add a new location to this list, remove and modify the existing locations.

Change settings to open files without Protected View

In Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, there are three core settings selected by default:

• Enable Protected View for files originating from the Internet controls files opened from a website. To open any file from the Internet without the Protected View mode, unselect this check box.
• Enable Protected View for files located in potentially unsafe locations controls files opened from certain folders considered unsafe, such as Temporary internet files. Unselect this check box if you want to open all files without Protected View.
• Enable Protected View for Outlook attachments controls attachments that you try to open from an email message in Microsoft Outlook. To open any files from the Outlook attachments, unselect this check box.

Excel adds two more settings, both of which are unselected by default:

• Always open untrusted Text-Based files (.csv, .dif and .sylk) in Protected View
• Always open untrusted Database files (.dbf) in Protected View

These two additional options control how to open specified files in Excel. If you prefer to open these files in the Protected View mode, select the appropriate check box.

File Block settings

The Block Files list in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint contains file types prohibited from opening or saving in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, respectively. You can change the list of Block Files by selecting or deselecting the file types that the app opens in Protected View. To make changes, do the following:

   1.   On the File tab, click the Options button.

   2.   In the *** Options dialog box, on the Trust Center tab, click the Trust Center Settings… button.

   3.   In the Trust Center dialog box, on the File Block Settings tab, in the File Type list, select or deselect the Open check box and the Save check box to prohibit the file type from opening and saving.

For example, in Word:

Note: Unfortunately, when writing this tip, options of the Open behavior for selecting file types group work incorrectly. The selected Open check box prohibits from opening the file type even if the Open selected file types in Protected View and allow editing check box is selected. The same problem occurs for the selected Save check box.

Trusted documents

By default, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint remember which files were marked as safe by the user (saved without Protected View). The next time you open such a file, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint will not open it in Protected View, even if the file has been modified.

To stop remembering such files, do the following:

   1.   On the File tab, click the Options button.

   2.   In the *** Options dialog box, on the Trust Center tab, click the Trust Center Settings… button.

   3.   In the Trust Center dialog box, on the Trusted Documents tab, unselect the Allow documents on a network to be trusted check box:

To clear the files already remembered in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, click the Clear button. In the Microsoft message, click Yes:

All 1.2 billion Microsoft Office users have probably benefited from Word’s Protected View format. When you download documents or format them to Word from the Internet, especially from cloud services (like OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, and Box) or as email attachments, you’ll get the document in “Protected View.”

Protected View is Microsoft’s way of protecting your computer from harm while giving you access to the document you downloaded. Giving reasons for setting documents to Protected View, Microsoft’s website reads:

Files from the Internet and from other potentially unsafe locations can contain viruses, worms, or other kinds of malware that can harm your computer. To help protect your computer, files from these potentially unsafe locations are opened in Protected View. By using Protected View, you can read a file and see its contents while reducing the risks.

However, Word isn’t locked to the Protected View format. Switching from Protected View to editing mode takes only a few clicks. You’ll notice a yellow Message Bar. Click “Enable Editing” as you’d see on the Message Bar. Next, click File and then Edit Anyway. You can also skip Protect View altogether and go straight to editing mode whenever you download Word-formatted documents from the Internet.

The obvious first step is to open your Microsoft Word to see the display as shown in the image below. Unless you’re using older versions of Word, this is what you should see when you open the software.

Now, choose a blank document. This should be the blank document on the top-left side of your desktop as seen in the red box and arrow below.

Next, click on the ‘File’ tab. You’ll see this tab on your blank file just as indicated by the red arrow below.

Click on Options. This is the last link to the bottom-left side of your screen as indicated by the arrow below.

Once you click on Options (from the step before this one), you’re taken to Word Options where you can access the Trust Center. The last link on the bottom-left side of your screen is labeled “Trust Center” as indicated by the arrow below.

Now, look at the bottom-right side of Trust Center to find a button labeled “Trust Center Settings.” Click on that button as indicated by the arrow below.

Next, select “Protected view” which is the fifth link from the bottom on the left side of your screen.

Depending on your preferences, you may choose one of three types of Protected Views or a combination of them. Protected View may be set for:

• Files with origins from the Internet (like your cloud storage, downloads from websites and others). This is basically all your files.
• Files that are located in places that might be unsafe, a public domain or an online public repository.
• Your desktop email client, e.g. Outlook.

Conclusion

With your Protected View disabled, you can easily download and instantly start editing documents from the Internet, emails, cloud, and others. Just as Microsoft indicates on their website, Protect View is a security feature to protect you from harm’s way. Unless you’re always sure that the documents you download are safe, it’s best to leave your Word’s Protected View on.

• Microsoft

• Security

• Software

If you want to open old Word documents in Protected View in the new Microsoft Word, here is how you can do that. It is possible to open old Word documents such as Word 2003, Word 2007, Word 97, etc., documents in the latest version of Word in the Protected View. You can enable or disable this setting using the in-built settings panel, Local Group Policy Editor, and the Registry Editor.

To open old Word documents in Protected View, follow these steps:

1. Open Word on your PC.
2. Click on Options.
3. Switch to the Trust Center tab.
4. Click on the Trust Center Settings button.
5. Go to the File Block Settings tab.
6. Check all old Word checkboxes in the Open column.
7. Click the OK button.

To learn more about these steps, continue reading.

First, you need to open Microsoft Word and click on the Options menu to open the Word Options panel. Then, navigate to Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > File Block Settings.

Here you need to ensure that the Open selected file types in Protected View option is selected. Then, tick all the Open checkboxes of old Word versions.

For example, you can check these checkboxes:

• Word 2007 and later Documents and Templates
• Word 2007 and later Binary Documents and Templates
• Word 2003 and Plain XML Documents
• Word 2000 Binary Documents and Templates

And more.

Finally, click the OK button to save the change.

How to open old Word documents in Protected View using Registry

To open old Word documents in Protected View using Registry, follow these steps:

1. Search for regedit in the Taskbar search box.
2. Click on the individual search result.
3. Click the Yes button.
4. Go to Microsoftoffice16.0wordin HKCU.
5. Right-click on word > New >Key and name it as security.
6. Do the same to create another kay named fileblock.
7. Right-click on fileblock > New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
8. Name it as word2000files.
9. Double-click on it to set the Value data as 4.
10. Click the OK button.

Let’s learn more about these steps.

First, you need to open the Registry Editor on your computer. To do that, search for regedit in the Taskbar search box, click on the individual search result and click the Yes button.

Then, navigate to this path:

HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwarePoliciesMicrosoftoffice16.0word

Right-click on word > New > Key and name it as security.

Then, repeat the same steps to create another sub-key under security and call it fileblock. Following that, you need to create a REG_DWORD value. To do that, right-click on fileblock > New > DWORD (32-bit) Value and set the name as word2000files.

However, if you want to block other files, you have to create more REG_DWORD values and name them as follows:

• openxmlfiles
• word2003files
• word2007files
• word95files
• word97files
• wordxmlfiles

Then, double-click on it and set the Value data as 4.

Finally, click the OK button and restart your computer.

Read: How to open OLD Excel spreadsheets in Protected View

How to open old Word documents in Protected View using Group Policy

To open old Word documents in Protected View using Group Policy, follow these steps:

1. Press Win+R > type gpedit.msc > press the OK button.
2. Go to File Block Settings in User Configuration.
3. Double-click on the Word 2000 binary documents and templates setting.
4. Choose the Enabled option.
5. Select the Open in Protected View option.
6. Click the OK button.
7. Repeat these steps for other settings.

To know more about these steps, keep reading.

To get started, press Win+R to open the Run prompt, type gpedit.msc, and press the OK button to open the Group Policy on your PC. Then, go to this path:

User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Microsoft Word 2016 > Word Options > Security > Trust Center > File Block Settings

Here you can find these settings:

• Word 2000 binary documents and templates
• Word 2003 binary documents and templates
• Word 2003 and later binary documents and templates
• Word 2007 and later binary documents and templates
• Word 2007 and later documents and templates
• Word 95 binary documents and templates
• Word 97 binary documents and templates
• Word 2003 and plain XML documents

Double-click on each of these settings and choose the Enabled option.

Then, select the Open in Protected View option from the drop-down list. Finally, click the OK button.

Read: How to ALWAYS open OLD PowerPoint presentations in Protected View

How do I unlock a Word document that is protected?

There are two ways to unlock a protected Word document. First, you can right-click on the file and tick the Unlock checkbox. Second, you can open the file and click on the Enabled editing option. Both do the same thing, and you can opt for any one of them.

Read: How to open always open PDF files in Protected View in Word

Why can’t I open an old Word document?

If you are unable to open an old Word document in the latest version of Microsoft Word, you can check the aforementioned settings. If the Protected View option is selected, you won’t be able to open the file properly. Instead, it opens the file in Protected View.

That’s all! Hope this guide helped.

Read: How to disable Text Drag and Drop feature in Word and PowerPoint.

I want to change my Protected View settings

1. Click File > Options.
2. Click Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Protected View.
3. Make selections that you want.

How do I enable editing in protected view?

If you receive or open a document and can’t make any changes, it might be Open for viewing only in Protected View.
Follow these steps to edit:

1. Go to File > Info.
2. Select Protect document.
3. Select Enable Editing.

How do I unprotect a Word document 2019?

Click the “Stop Protection” button at the bottom of the Restrict Formatting and Editing window. Type the password in the Unprotect Document pop-up window and click “OK.” Save the document, which is no longer protected and can be edited by anyone.

Why is my Microsoft Word document displaying a strange unreadable text?

If the Word document contains a font that is not installed or not compatible on the system, or if the Word document is corrupted, or if the Word documents being transferred over internet being have been edited on multiple platforms/systems, the Word file may open with weird symbols or gibberish.

How do I change the default view for one page in Word?

Try this:

1. Go to Layout tab and click on Margins, select Custom Margins.
2. Select Normal on Multiple pages and click Set As Default and OK.

Why can’t I edit a Word document on my Mac?

Why can’t I edit Word documents on my Mac and how do I fix it? Sign out of and quit all Microsoft Office applications. In the next window that pops up select the following three files, delete them, and then empty your trash. Restart your Mac, re-launch Word, and sign back in with your [email protected] and password.

How do I turn off read only in Word?

Remove read only

1. Click the Microsoft Office Button. , and then click Save or Save As if you have previously saved the document.
2. Click Tools.
3. Click General Options.
4. Clear the Read-only recommended check box.
5. Click OK.
6. Save the document. You might need to save it as another file name if you have already named the document.

How do I remove Protected View in Word without password?

Press Alt+F11 again to close the VBA editor, click on the protected text to open the Restrict Editing menu. Click Stop Protection. It will stop protection without the password.

How do I remove document protection?

Remove protection from your file
In the file, click File > Info > Protect Document > Restrict Editing and click Stop Protection at the bottom of the Restrict Editing pane. To remove or change restricted access, open the file, and then click Change Permission in the yellow bar at the top of the document.

How do I fix unreadable content in Word?

Now Open Microsoft word and follow the steps.

1. Navigate to File tab > Click Open on the left panel > Click Browse on the right panel.
2. On the Microsoft Open window, select the unreadable word files.
3. Choose Recover Text from Any File from the drop-down menu.
4. Click Open and wait.

Why does my Microsoft Word document have weird symbols?

In Word, these markers indicate the ends of paragraphs, and are created when you press RETURN at the end of a line. If you do not want to see these markers, click on the Show/Hide icon in the Paragraph group on the Home tab.

How do I fix unreadable text in Word?

In Word, select the File Menu, and then select Open. In the Files of type box, select Recover Text from Any File(.). Select the document from which you want to recover the text. Select Open.

What is the default view mode in Word?

Although Microsoft Word has several different ways you can view or edit your documents, the Print Layout view is the default. If you want to make quick edits using the Draft view, however, you have to change views manually every time you open your documents.

Why is my Word account view only?

Open an Office app > Click your account in the upper left corner > Sign out your account > Go back to Office app, and sign in your account. Please try to clear credential caches and reactivate Office for Mac. Right-click each of the folders below if present, and then click move to trash.

Why is my office account view only?

View Only: Your Account Doesn’t Allow Editing on a Mac – Office 365 Error. First, verify that you are using the proper account: Click “Use Another Account” and sign in with your email address and Microsoft password. Alternately, click the “Activate” button and sign in with credentials.

Where is editor in Word on Mac?

1. On the Home tab, click the Editor button. 2. In the Editor pane click a category, such as Spelling or Grammar, to review the suggestions for that area and take action based on the provided guidance.

How do I stop Word from opening in read only mode on Mac?

Right-click its icon, and select “Get Info” to enter the file’s Info window. 2. Check if the selection “Locked” in General is enabled. If so, disable it and the files will quit Read-only mode.

Why are all my documents read only?

You may find that when you are opening files, they open as read-only. In some cases, this is for added security, such as when you are opening files from the internet, and other times, it can be due to a setting that can be changed.

How do I fix the layout of a Word document?

Change the default layout

1. Open the template or a document based on the template whose default settings you want to change.
2. On the Format menu, click Document, and then click the Layout tab.
3. Make any changes that you want, and then click Default.

How do I fix corrupted files?

Open Windows File Explorer and then right click on the drive and select ‘Properties’. From here, select ‘Tools’ and then click ‘Check’. This will scan and attempt to fix glitches or bugs on the hard drive and recover corrupt files.

How do you fix the file is corrupted and Cannot be opened Word?

How to Resolve ‘The file is corrupted and cannot be opened’ Error of MS Word

1. Open your MS Word application.
2. Click ‘File >> Options’.
3. Select the ‘Trust Center’ and press button under ‘Trust Center Settings’.
4. Click ‘Protected View’.
5. Uncheck all the options available under ‘Protected View’ and click ‘OK’ to confirm.