Security Notification regarding Macros being disabled. Does not provide option for enable selection.

Linda Shirk 0 Reputation points
2026-10-23T22:48:52.9133333+00:00

Intuit Quickbooks file is created in Excel for tax forms to be summarized in spreadsheet. This excel file spreadsheet has a security notification which stated macros are being disabled. There is no other option for enabling the macro. How can I get this to work? Have tried adding file as trusted document, but still no change in security issue.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For business | Other
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  1. Ivory 2,610 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-10-23T23:12:48.5933333+00:00

    Hi Linda,

    Excel 365 blocks macros in files that were downloaded from the internet or received as email attachments because they contain a Mark of the Web (MOTW) tag, which identifies the file as coming from an untrusted source. As a result, the workbook displays a Security Risk warning and does not provide an Enable Content button. Adding the file as a Trusted Document will not bypass this restriction while the MOTW tag remains attached.

    Please try the following steps:

    1/ Remove the Mark of the Web (MOTW)

    1. Close the workbook first
    2. Open File Explorer and locate the Excel workbook.
    3. Right-click the file and select Properties.
    4. On the General tab, look for a Security section at the bottom of the window.
    5. If available, check the Unblock box.
    6. Select Apply, then OK.
    7. Reopen the workbook and check whether the macros can now run.

    User's image

    • If the Unblock options is not available, it's usually because that your file is currently saved in a OneDrive or SharePoint folder and it will be considered as from the internet.
    • You can try disconnecting OneDrive/SharePoint temporarily or move the file to your local folder and try the Unblock Security box again.

    2/ Add the file location as a trusted location  

    • Open Excel and go to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings

    User's image

    • 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 macro-enabled excel file again 

    3/ Enable macros in Excel

    Open the Excel workbook that contains the macros.

    1. If a yellow notification bar appears at the top of the workbook with the message "Security Warning: Macros have been disabled," click Enable Content to allow macros to run for that file.

    You can also review and adjust your macro settings in the Trust Center:

    1. Open Excel and navigate to File > Options > Trust Center.
    2. Select Trust Center Settings.
    3. Click Macro Settings.
    4. Choose one of the following options:
      • Disable VBA macros with notification (recommended), which displays a warning banner and allows you to enable macros on trusted files.
        • Enable VBA macros (not recommended unless you fully trust the source of the file).
        1. Click OK to save the changes and close all dialog boxes.
        2. Reopen the workbook and verify whether the macros can be enabled successfully.

    If you still do not see the Enable Content button after completing the steps above, please provide a screenshot of the warning message, as this may indicate that the file is being blocked by the Mark of the Web (MOTW) or by an organizational policy that prevents macros from running.

    For better visualization about this guideline, you can watch this video Unblock macros downloaded from the internet | Excel Off The Grid | Microsoft macro security changes… 

    Note: This is a non-Microsoft website. The page appears to be providing accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the site that may advertise products frequently classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the site before you decide to download and install it.

    If the banner still has no Enable Content button, a Group Policy may be blocking macros from internet-sourced files. With that policy enabled, macros in Mark-of-the-Web files are blocked and users can’t override it. In that case, ask your IT admin for a Trusted Location or have the macro digitally signed by a trusted publisher.

    Only unblock the file if you’re sure of where it came from, since macros can run arbitrary code. Since this is a QuickBooks-generated tax workbook, confirm it came from your own QuickBooks export or a trusted source first.

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

    If the answer is helpful, please click 'Yes' and kindly upvote it.

    Note: Please follow the steps in the forum documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread. 

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  2. AI answer

    2026-10-23T22:49:35.7633333+00:00

    If Excel shows a macro security banner without Enable Content, close the workbook and remove its internet-origin block from the file’s Windows properties.

    Unblock the QuickBooks-generated workbook

    Only proceed if the workbook came from a trusted QuickBooks workflow and you expected it to contain macros.

    1. Close the workbook and Excel.
    2. In File Explorer, locate the actual Excel file.
    3. Right-click it and select Properties.
    4. On the General tab, look near the bottom for:
      • Security: This file came from another computer...
      • An Unblock checkbox
    5. Select Unblock, then Apply and OK.
    6. Reopen the workbook.

    Files downloaded from the internet or received as email attachments can receive Windows’ Mark of the Web. For these files, Excel displays a Security Risk banner without an Enable Content button; selecting Unblock removes that mark and permits macros unless another setting or policy blocks them.^1^

    This is different from adding the workbook as a trusted document, which you already tried.

    If “Unblock” is unavailable

    Check Excel’s notification setting:

    1. Open Excel without opening the workbook.
    2. Select File → Options → Trust Center → Trust Center Settings → Macro Settings.
    3. Select Disable VBA macros with notification.
    4. Select OK, close Excel, and reopen the workbook.

    This setting should produce a notification that allows macros to be enabled case by case. Avoid Enable VBA macros, which permits potentially dangerous code in every workbook.^2^

    If that setting is unavailable, locked, or has no effect, the computer may be controlled by an organization policy. A policy such as Disable VBA macros without notification can prevent the file from being made trusted at all.^3^ Contact the Microsoft 365 or IT administrator and provide:

    • The exact security-banner wording
    • The workbook’s source, such as QuickBooks, email, browser download, OneDrive, or a network share
    • The workbook extension, such as .xlsm or .xltm
    • Whether Unblock appears in file properties
    • The selected option under Macro Settings

    Ask the administrator to verify the Excel Macro Notification Settings policy or approve a signed macro/trusted source rather than enabling all macros globally.

    These particular Unblock instructions apply to Excel on Windows. Microsoft’s internet-origin macro-blocking change does not apply to Office on macOS or Office for the web.^1^

    References

    1. Macros from the internet are blocked by default in Office
    2. Enable or disable macros in Microsoft 365 files | Microsoft Support
    3. Trusted documents | Microsoft Support
    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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