Microsoft Blocked macros from running Because the source of this file is untrusted

Ravi Tarun Prasad Nimmalapudi 0 Reputation points
2026-09-12T11:49:46.72+00:00

While opening the Excel Sheet getting above message. I unblocked the file but still getting above message.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For home | Windows
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  1. Thomas4-N 21,545 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-09-13T07:14:38.63+00:00

    Hello Ravi Tarun Prasad Nimmalapudi,

    If you've already used Properties** > **Unblock on the file and Excel is still reporting that the source is untrusted, I'd want to know a bit more about where the workbook is being opened from.

    For example:

    • Is the file stored in OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams, or on a network share?
    • Was it extracted from a ZIP file before opening?
    • Does the same behavior occur if you copy the file to a local folder such as Documents and open it from there?

    In my experience, when the file has already been unblocked, the remaining cause is often the file location or another security trust setting rather than the macro itself.

    Could you provide a screenshot of the full warning message and confirm where the workbook is stored?

    Thanks.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-09-12T11:50:02.1433333+00:00

    If the file was already unblocked and Excel still shows “Microsoft has blocked macros from running because the source of this file is untrusted”, check these common causes:

    1. Confirm the file is truly local and on NTFS Mark of the Web applies to files saved on an NTFS file system. If the file is on a network share or opened from an internet-related location, macros can still be blocked.
    2. If the file is on a network share, treat the location as trusted For files stored on an internal file server or similar location, macros can still be blocked even when no Unblock checkbox appears. In that case:
      • Add the location to the Local intranet zone, or
      • Designate it as a Trusted site
      Note: adding a site as Trusted site gives that site elevated permissions beyond Office.
    3. Add the folder as a Trusted Location in Excel In Excel, go to: File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Trusted Locations
      • Make sure trusted locations are not disabled
      • Add the folder that contains the workbook
      • Restart Excel
      This trusts macros in files stored in that folder, so only use a folder that contains trusted files.
    4. Check macro policy settings If macro settings or organization policy are blocking macros, the file might not be allowed to run even after unblocking. In Excel: File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Macro Settings If macros are disabled by policy, the file cannot be made trusted in that state.
    5. If the file came from OneDrive or SharePoint These options avoid Mark of the Web:
      • Open the file by using Open in Desktop App
      • Use the OneDrive sync client so the synced file is downloaded locally
      • Download the file into a Trusted Location
    6. If needed, remove the ZoneId with PowerShell The file can also be unblocked with the Unblock-File cmdlet, which removes the ZoneId value. This does the same thing as the Unblock checkbox in file properties.
    7. Check whether the file is a template Some template files, such as .dot, .dotm, .pot, .potm, .xlt, .xltm, are handled differently and can still be affected by these protections.

    A practical path is:

    • Move the workbook to a local trusted folder
    • Add that folder to Trusted Locations
    • Reopen Excel
    • If the workbook is on a network share, add that location to Local intranet instead of relying only on file unblocking
    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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