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The File Couldn’t Open in Protected View [Excel, Word]
If disabling Protected View fails to fix this, use a file repair software.
5 min. read
Updated onOctober 4, 2023
updated onOctober 4, 2023
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Key notes
Some MS Office users have said on Microsoft’s support forum that they can’t open Excel and Word files in Protected View.
For them, this featurehas stopped workingorThe file couldn’t open in Protected Viewerror messages might pop up.
Here is what one user had to say about this specific issue on theMicrosoft Answers forums:
Recently it seems I can not open anyExcelor Wordfilesin Protected View. This was not a problem previously, but seems all of a sudden allfilesget hung up trying to open in Protected View; and I have to force quit the program.
This error usually arises for Excel and Word files that were attached to Outlook emails. For more information, you can read our guide on how todisable Word Protected View.
The issue can be due to antiquated DisplayLink adapter drivers. If you need to fix that issue, check out these potential resolutions for it.
Why am I stuck in Protected View?
Protected view is a security measure in Word and Excel that prevents files from the Internet from being open in Edit mode. By doing so, the files won’t be able to compromise your PC.
You can disable this feature, but if the file is malicious it can compromise your PC, so only disable this feature if you really must and only with the files that come from 100% secure source.
How can I fix the Word and Excel Protected View error?
If you noticeThe file couldn’t open in protected viewMicrosoft Office 365, here are a couple of methods you can use to fix it.
1. Use the Stellar Repair software to fix the Protected View error
The Word File Repair Tool from Stellar is the best software to use when you need to repair Word files that have been corrupted, without losing any of the data stored in them.
This amazing software can repair files in batches, which enables you to quickly go through a list of corrupted Word files without the need to waste any time.
When using this tool to repair your files, you should never worry about specific elements of your Word document, as this app repairstext, font, hyperlinks, headers, footers, bookmarks, etc.
Hence, in case you need to repair your corrupted MS Word files rapidly and without modifications in documents, you can go with Word File Repair Tool.
Word File Repair Tool
This powerful software is extremely usefulfor repairing Excel Attachments from Outlook, and also any corrupted Excel files on your PC.
As in the case of its Word counterpart, this software produced by Stellar also offers you batch processing of files, while also recovering any tables, charts, chart sheets, cell comments, images, formulas, sorts, and filters.
This software also offers full compatibility with all MS Excel versions. If you’re gettingThe file couldn’t open in Protected Viewerror in Excel 2016, 2019, or any other version, this tool should help.
You can take advantage of this service to repair broken Excel files and recover all datasets you need, all using Excel Repair Tool.
Repair Excel Tool
2. Update the DisplayLink driver to fix the Protected View error
You can easily update the DisplayLink driver by using powerful and easy-to-use software that will correctly update drivers without other issues.
It’s much more practical to approach specialized methods when you have to update the display or any other driver on your PC to protect it from critical mistakes that can lead to system issues.
So if you need to efficiently update the latest version of the DisplayLink driver and resolve this unfortunate error, it’s a good idea to use thebest driver update softwareon the market.
3. Disable Protected View to fix the File couldn’t open in Protected View error
If you are getting this error, you can disable Protected View altogether from the app’s settings.
After you disable Protected View in Excel or Word, the issue won’t appear anymore, but keep in mind that disabling this feature comes with security risks.
1. Open your MS Word or Excel application.
- Next, select theFiletab.
3.ClickOptionsto open aSettingswindow.
-
SelectTruston the left side of the window.
-
Click theTrust Center Settingsbutton.
6.SelectProtected Viewon the left of theTrust Centerwindow.
-
Then deselect all the selectedEnable Protected Viewcheckboxes.
-
Press theOKbutton to leave the window.
4. Disable hardware graphics acceleration
If you’re gettingThe file couldn’t open in Protected Viewerror with Outlook attachments, then this solution might be helpful.
5. Unblock the Excel or Word document
Those are some of the resolutions users have fixed Excel and Word Protected View errors with.
Disabling Protected View will probably resolve the issue for most users, but you can try the other fixes if you need to keep Protected View enabled.
This isn’t the only issue that users reported, and many users reported that they areunable to create new documents in Office 365.
Don’t hesitate to let us know if you found a different way to fix this problem on your PC.
More about the topics:Excel,Microsoft Word
Matthew Adams
Windows Hardware Expert
Matthew is a freelancer who has produced a variety of articles on various topics related to technology. His main focus is the Windows OS and all the things surrounding it.
He is passionate about the tech world, always staying up-to-date with the latest and greatest. With an analytical view, he likes problem-solving, focusing on errors and their causes.
In his free time, he likes to read and write about history and tries to always develop new skills.
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Matthew Adams
Windows Hardware Expert
He is passionate about everything surrounding Microsoft’s OS, focusing on troubleshooting guides & tips for everyday problems.
