[FIXED] – Cannot Open an Excel File in Protected View
Protected View is a built-in feature of MS Excel and other MS Office software that helps users safeguard their computers and data from malware. It is a read-only view where MS Excel opens a file from an external source. This feature also flags files that might be potentially harmful and prevents MS Excel from opening them.
However, in some instances, the Protected View feature may prevent MS Excel from opening a file created on the same system or downloaded from a verified source. It may also show an error message which looks like this –

This issue can be due to outdated MS Office or Excel. It may also be a result of corrupted application files or the Excel file.
It can be frustrating to see such an error message while trying to open a file in MS Excel from a legitimate source. However, there are workarounds explained further in this post that can help you fix ‘Excel unable to open in protected view’ issue.
Why is Excel Unable to Open a File in the Protected View?
There are numerous reasons that can prevent Excel from opening a file in the Protected View. We have listed some of these below –
- File downloaded from an unverified website or received from an untrusted source.
- Excel is unable to open a file in Protected View as it may be potentially harmful.
- You are running an outdated version of MS Excel or MS Office.
- File corruption due to incomplete download/transfer
- Protected View may prevent Excel from opening a file containing macros
How to Fix the MS Excel – File Couldn’t Open in the Protected View Issue?
A simple way to fix the Excel couldn’t open a file in the Protected View issue is to close all the open Excel files and close MS Excel. After this, try opening the problematic file again. This may take several tries and, thus, require some time.
If you are still not able to open the Excel file in the Protected View, try the methods explained below to fix the issue.
Method 1: Repair MS Office
Damaged or corrupt MS Office suite files can affect the associated applications. Corrupted application files can be the reason why Excel couldn’t open a file in the Protected View. You can fix this issue by repairing the application. Here are the steps to do this –
- Press Windows + I to open Windows Settings and click on Apps to open the Apps & Features window.
- Locate Microsoft Office from the list and select it.
- Click on Modify.
- Click on Yes in the UAC prompt to launch the MS Office repair wizard.
- Select the Repair option and click Continue.
- Follow the on-screen prompts in the wizard to complete the repair process.
Method 2: Disable the Protected View Feature
As mentioned before, the Protected View feature helps you protect yourself and your data from malware that can become active from opening files from unknown sources. But if Excel is unable to open a file from a trusted source in the Protected View, you can fix the issue by disabling the Protected View settings. Here is how you can disable the Protected View feature –
Note – Before you disable the Protected View settings, make sure that your antivirus is active.
- Open the problematic Excel file.
- Click on File > Options to open the Excel Options window.
- Click on Trust Center the left pane and then click on the Trust Center Settings button under Microsoft Excel Trust Center section.
- Click on Protected View in the left pane to open the Trust Center Settings.
- Uncheck the most suitable option and click OK.
Method 3: Unblock the Excel File
Sometimes, Windows blocks files that have come from external sources such as the internet or some other PC for security reasons. Trying to open such files can prevent Excel from opening the file in the Protected View. You can fix this by checking the file properties and unblocking it if required. Here is what to do –
- Locate the problematic Excel file on your system and right-click on it.
- Click on Properties from the context menu.
- Go to the Security section and check the Unblock option.
- Click on Apply and OK to confirm the change.
After unblocking the Excel file, you should be able to open it in the Protected View.
Method 4: Update Graphics/Display Drivers
Some users found an unusual way to fix the Excel file couldn’t open in the Protected View issue. They were able to resolve this issue by updating their graphics or display drivers. You can check your CPU/GPU manufacturer’s website for any available updates and install them.
An alternate way to check for the updates is to go to the Device Manager, check for any available display updates, and install them. Here is what to do –
- Press WINDOWS + I and select Device Manager from list.
- Select and expand the Display adapters.
- Right-click on the available display adapter and click on Properties.
- Click on the Driver tab and then click Update Driver.
- In the next window, select the Search automatically to drivers option.
- If it shows any available updates, follow the on-screen commands and install them.
Note – If there are multiple entries under the Display adapters, repeat the above steps for them.
After installing the latest graphics updates on your computer, reattempt opening the problematic Excel file. You should be able to open it in the Protected View now.
Conclusion
The Protected View feature in MS Excel is designed to safeguard our computer and data from malware that might be there in files from external or untrusted sources. But sometimes, this feature flags files from reliable or trusted sources as potentially harmful, because of which Excel is unable to open files in the Protected View.
If you are getting the Excel file couldn’t open in the Protected View error message while opening a workbook, you can try the methods discussed above and fix the issue. You can skip the methods above and use a powerful Excel file repair software instead to restore data to a new Excel file.