How to Change Macro Security Settings on Windows Vista

Word and Excel 2007 on Windows Vista have the ability to run macros--scripts in which several commands are executed automatically. By default, however, many of the features available in macros are disabled because it is possible to program macros in a malicious fashion and harm the computer. For this reason, if you need to use Office 2007 macros in Windows Vista for a work application, you may need to adjust the security settings on your computer before they will work properly. Adjust your macro security settings if you are having trouble getting Word or Excel 2007 macros to work as they should.

Things You'll Need

• Microsoft Office 2007

Instructions

Changing Macro Security in Word or Excel 2007

1. Click the circular Office logo in the upper-left corner of the Word or Excel window, then click the "Word Options" or "Excel Options" button at the bottom of the menu.

2. Click the "Trust Center" link on the left side of the screen, then click the "Trust Center Settings" button.

3. Click the "Macro Settings" link on the left side of the window to access the macro settings for the Office 2007 program you are using. The menus for Word 2007 and Excel 2007 are the same. The default selection is "Disable all macros with notification." To run your own macros, select "Enable all macros."

4. Click "OK" to save your changes.

Tips & Warnings

• Enabling all macros in Word or Excel 2007 is generally not recommended by Microsoft because of the security risks. To minimize the risks, enable macros only long enough to run your own macros, then disable them when you are finished.

References

• LyteByte: How to Enable Macro Features and Settings in Office 2007