Unless you need to edit, it is safer to stay in protected view.” And to the right of that sentence is a button labeled “Enable Editing”. A message viewer opens across the top of the document stating “PROTECTED VEW Be careful - email attachments can contain viruses.If JAWS, Fusion or ZoomText Magnifier/Reader Is running, then “protected view” will be announced after speaking the document name.What happens when a document opens in protected view?

In older Office versions there may be additional issues not detailed below. But it has improved over the years, with Office 365 being the version where it works best. In the past, documents that open in protected view have been a major challenge for accessible software. The individual document editor options are accessed by opening the document and selecting options under File > Info > Protect Document. Generally, Microsoft settings determine whether certain documents open in “protected view” but the document creator or editor decides who and how a document can be accessed and edited.

Although a document is not editable while in “protected view”, any other restrictions imposed on the document are still imposed whether the document is in “protected view” or not. This is entirely independent of a document opening in “protected view”. Microsoft also uses the term “protect document” when applying password protection or editing restrictions to a file.

While in “protected view”, the file is not considered a “trusted document”. Macros could be embedded in a file and these will not run while in protected view. By default, Microsoft ensures that when you open an MS Word®, Excel®, or PowerPoint® document that originated from an unsafe sender, an untrusted folder, or from the internet, it will automatically open in “protected view” so that you can view the contents without it causing harm to your computer. Malicious files that can cause harm to your computer are often delivered through a downloaded file from the web or as an email attachment.

Excel opening in protected view