Error bulletin in Office when a file is blocked by registry policy settings

  • Article
  • 2 minutes to read
  • Applies to:
    Word 2016, Excel 2016, PowerPoint 2016, Visio 2016, PowerPoint 2019, Excel 2019, Discussion 2019, PowerPoint LTSC 2021, Excel LTSC 2021, Give-and-take LTSC 2021

A file is blocked when you open or relieve the file in a Microsoft Office program. In this situation, you may receive an error bulletin that resembles ane of the following:

  • You are attempting to open a file that is blocked past your registry policy setting.
  • You are attempting to open up a file type <File Type> that has been blocked by your File Block settings in the Trust Heart.
  • You lot are attempting to open a file that was created in an earlier version of Microsoft Office. This file type is blocked from opening in this version by your registry policy setting.
  • Yous are attempting to save a file that is blocked by your registry policy setting.
  • You lot are attempting to save a file type <File Type> that has been blocked past your File Block settings in the Trust Middle.

Resolution

To resolve this issue, try the following general resolutions to change the File Block settings to disable the restriction of certain file types:

  1. Select File > Options.

    If you cannot open a file in Role, open up a blank document to commencement the Part application. For example, if yous cannot open a Word file, open up a new certificate in Word 2016 or later versions to see the option.

  2. In the Options window, select Trust Centre > Trust Center Settings.

  3. In the Trust Center window, select File Block Settings, then articulate the "Open" or "Relieve" cheque box for the file blazon that y'all desire to open or save.

    Note

    Clear the pick means allow user to open or salvage the file. Check the pick ways cake the file.

    Screenshot of the Trust Center window.

  4. Select OK ii times.

  5. Endeavour to open or relieve the file that was blocked again.

Notation

The File Cake Settings can be controlled past a Group Policy Object (GPO) and are function of the recommended security base line settings. Enabling a file blazon that'south blocked by default could compromise security.

Hither's how to open the GPO:

  1. Open the Group Policy Direction Console.

  2. Navigate to the following GPO:

    User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Microsoft <Product Name>\<Product Proper name> Options\Security\Trust Eye\File Block Settings

    Replace <Product Proper name> with the afflicted Function application name, for case Word 2019.

You may too accept to download Administrative Template files to use the GPO.

More than data

The issue can besides occur when you lot open up an embedded or linked Part file in an Part application. For example, y'all accept a Visio object embedded in a Discussion document. When yous try to open the Visio object, you receive a like fault message in Word. To resolve this issue, yous must alter the File Block settings in the application that owns the blocked file blazon. In this instance, you must change the File Cake settings in Visio instead of in Word. If the error message mentions Excel file blazon, go to Excel to change the File Cake settings.