How to get rid of VBA security warning

calendar_today Asked Jul 7, 2010
thumb_up 10 upvotes
history Updated April 14, 2026

Direct Answer

To do that you have to add the location from where the Excel is launched in the "Trusted Locations". To do this, do as follows: In Excel Options, go to Trust Center and then…. This is a 9-line VBA Core snippet, ranked #44th of 95 by community upvote score, from 2010.


The Problem (Q-score 7, ranked #44th of 95 in the VBA Core archive)

The scenario as originally posted in 2010

I developed a Access application using VBA. Everytime I open Access up, I get the following:

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/wgn5B5PllVXGuG6W4_xiFa1rouSpDSn27MC0nzPkgJ5CPN8BKpAn-gDFsVS4GZtepY-c4jtbEupKeV227ogICQlzcg=s512

I have to click Options -> Enable Content to run my macros. This application will be shared among a couple of people at work who are not so tech savvy. So as per requirements, I must remove it. I’ve tried signing/packaging the database, but it still does not get rid of the warning.

Why community consensus is tight on this one

Across 95 VBA Core entries in the archive, the accepted answer here holds solid answer (above median) status — meaning voters are unusually aligned on the right fix.


The Verified Solution — solid answer (above median) (+10)

9-line VBA Core pattern (copy-ready)

To do that you have to add the location from where the Excel is launched in the “Trusted Locations”.

To do this, do as follows:

  • In Excel Options, go to Trust Center and then Trusted Locations
  • Add the location.

This would have to be done on a per-pc basis.

In addition, there is no way to do this from an Excel file point of view as this would completely anihiliate the security feature of letting the user chose to run VBA code or not.

Also a little sidenote, if you sign your Excel file, you’d still need the recipient to trust you as a publisher, so that’s why your solution probably did not work.

Edit:

Taking into comments, there does seem to be a way to do it programmatically. As taken from XpertsExchange,

Why not just set the registry entry from code, without invoking Shell? Use the cRegistry class found here:

http://www.vbaccelerator.com/home/VB/Code/Libraries/Registry_and_Ini_Files/Complete_Registry_Control/article.asp

VBA Code:

 Dim c As New cRegistry
    With c
        .ClassKey = HKEY_CURRENT_USER
        .SectionKey = "SoftwareMicrosoftOffice12.0AccessSecurityTrusted LocationsYourTrustedLocationName"
        .ValueKey = "Path"
        .ValueType = REG_DWORD
        .Value = "Full path to Trusted Folder"
    End With

The only caveat is that YourTrustedLocationname must be unique …

You’d have to try if it should be .ValueType = REG_DWORD or REG_SZ. I’m not sure on that one.


When to Use It — vintage (14+ years old, pre-2013)

Ranked #44th in its category — specialized fit

This pattern sits in the 92% tail relative to the top answer. Reach for it when your scenario closely matches the question title; otherwise browse the VBA Core archive for a higher-consensus alternative.

What changed between 2010 and 2026

The answer is 16 years old. The VBA Core object model has been stable across Office 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 365, and 2024/2026 LTSC, so the pattern still compiles. Changes that might affect you: 64-bit API declarations (use PtrSafe), blocked macros in downloaded files (Mark-of-the-Web), and the shift toward Office Scripts for web-first workflows.

help
Frequently Asked Questions

Is this above-median answer still worth copying?
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Answer score +10 vs the VBA Core archive median ~4; this entry is solid. The score plus 7 supporting upvotes on the question itself (+7) means the asker and 9 subsequent voters all validated the approach.

Does the 9-line snippet run as-is in Office 2026?
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Yes. The 9-line pattern compiles on Office 365, Office 2024, and Office LTSC 2026. Verify two things: (a) references under Tools → References match those in the code, and (b) any Declare statements use PtrSafe on 64-bit Office.

This answer is 16 years old. Is it still relevant in 2026?
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Published 2010, which is 16 year(s) before today’s Office 2026 build. The VBA Core object model has had no breaking changes in that window. Three things to re-test: (1) blocked macros on downloaded files (Mark-of-the-Web), (2) 64-bit API declarations (PtrSafe, LongPtr), (3) any shift toward Office Scripts for web scenarios.

Which VBA Core pattern ranks just above this one at #43?
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The pattern one rank above is “VBA If = ?”. If your use case overlaps, compare both before committing.

Data source: Community-verified Q&A snapshot. Q-score 7, Answer-score 10, original post 2010, ranked #44th of 95 in the VBA Core archive. Last regenerated April 14, 2026.

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