When using Microsoft applications, such as Word or Excel, in a virtual environment I’ve run into a problem where I was given a false error when opening a file indicating “out of space”. Now, it’s not surprising that the error message isn’t overly descriptive. Let’s be honest, when is it ever? After a lot of digging I found that the error message isn’t in relation to drive space of any kind. The issue is actually within the application’s Trust Center.
All Microsoft applications have a Trust Center to help protect you from scary danger. This particular setting is in a sub-setting called Protected View. It’s enabled to protect you from files originating outside of your computer such as the internet, network locations or email attachments. Even if it’s from a trusted-to-you location, you don’t really get a way around it.
To disable this;
- open ExcelWordPowerPoint
- go to FILE –> OPTIONS –> Trust Center
- Click the button ‘trust center settings’
- from the left-side menu; select ‘protected view’
- uncheck all (3) options
- Click OK and fully exit from ExcelWordPowerPoint
And there you go. The issue is no more. But why it tells you that it’s a space issue is still beyond me.