
Software that is too old: If you are trying to open the file with an old version of the software, it may not work with the private view mode and cause problems.Macro or active content: If the file has macros or active content that can do potentially harmful things, it may cause the protected view mode to stop these things from happening automatically.


Also, most of the files that cause problems come from Microsoft Outlook. This problem happens when either a Microsoft Word or Excel file is opened. Users have said that when they open a file, it either says it is broken or stays on the starting screen. If you want to know more information about this Visit Official Microsoft Website. Even though this mode is turned on for security, users have said that Protected View also causes problems. This is also helpful when opening files from places on your computer, the Internet, or Microsoft Outlook that you don’t know about. Protected View is also turned on by default.

It is a read-only mode where most of the writing tools are turned off. Microsoft’s Protected View is an extra layer of security. In this article we will show you how to Fix ‘The File Couldn’t Open in Protected View’ issue. Causes of the ‘The File Couldn’t Open in Protected View’ Issue.This is how to turn off Enable Editing when opening Office files. The Trust Center dialog box appears, select Protected View, where you deselect all the settings as shown below, then click OK.įinally, you just need to reopen your file without having to worry about the annoyance of Enable Editing anymore.

The screen will turn to as shown below, continue to click on Trust Center Settings. To turn off the Enable Editing feature or the Protected View mode, follow the instructions below: Protected View mode is a feature of Office to limit the risk of virus infection when downloading files from the network, but if you often open multiple documents, you should consider turning this feature off to save work time. When you download a Word or Excel file online, Word and Excel often ask you to turn off Protected View by clicking Enable Editing before you can edit or print the text. Instructions to turn off, turn on Enable Editing or Protected View mode when opening Word and Excel files.
