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Disable UI extending from documents and templates

This user-scoped Office policy controls, separately for each listed application, whether the application loads user-interface customizations embedded in a document or template.

since 0.9.8.11

Purpose

Show registry keys (9)
  • HKCU\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\common\toolbars\word\noextensibilitycustomizationfromdocument
  • HKCU\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\common\toolbars\excel\noextensibilitycustomizationfromdocument
  • HKCU\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\common\toolbars\powerpoint\noextensibilitycustomizationfromdocument
  • HKCU\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\common\toolbars\access\noextensibilitycustomizationfromdocument
  • HKCU\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\common\toolbars\outlook\noextensibilitycustomizationfromdocument
  • HKCU\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\common\toolbars\publisher\noextensibilitycustomizationfromdocument
  • HKCU\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\common\toolbars\project\noextensibilitycustomizationfromdocument
  • HKCU\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\common\toolbars\visio\noextensibilitycustomizationfromdocument
  • HKCU\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\common\toolbars\infopath\noextensibilitycustomizationfromdocument

This user-scoped Office policy controls, separately for each listed application, whether the application loads user-interface customizations embedded in a document or template. Such customizations can provide additional Ribbon tabs, groups, buttons, or commands.

Each application-specific entry is a REG_DWORD value. A value of 1 prevents the corresponding application from loading these UI customizations. A value of 0 permits them. If the policy is not configured and the value is absent, Office follows its normal behavior and loads applicable customizations when the document or template is opened.

An entry affects only its associated application. For example, the value below the word subkey does not control Excel or PowerPoint.

Notes

Security

A customized interface can hide or make important application commands less accessible. It can also introduce commands that invoke macros or other functionality. Blocking document- and template-based UI customizations therefore reduces the opportunity to mislead users through a manipulated Office interface or to expose malicious functionality through added controls.

This policy is not a general macro or add-in blocking mechanism. It does not prevent every type of active content from running, nor does it universally prevent installed extensions from loading. Those behaviors are governed by separate Office security policies.

Possible side effects

Legitimate documents, templates, and business solutions might no longer display their custom Ribbon tabs, buttons, or menu commands. Features exposed only through those controls might consequently become unavailable to users or require another means of access.

The policy does not remove the customization data from a file. It prevents the affected application from loading and displaying that customization.

Notes

The values are not stored directly under HKCU\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\common\toolbars. Each value resides in an application-specific subkey. The shared policy can therefore impose different behavior on Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Outlook, Publisher, Project, Visio, and InfoPath.

The 16.0 policy branch is used by the administrative templates for multiple Office generations, including Microsoft 365 Apps, Office LTSC, Office 2019, and Office 2016. The installed Office products determine which application-specific entries can have an effect.

Microsoft documentation

Microsoft Learn: Plan an upgrade from older versions of Office to Microsoft 365 Apps

Microsoft Download Center: Administrative Template files (ADMX/ADML) for Microsoft Office

See also