Set document behavior if file validation fails

Purpose

Show registry keys (2)

• HKCU\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\powerpoint\security\filevalidation\openinprotectedview
• HKCU\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\powerpoint\security\filevalidation\disableeditfrompv

This user-scoped PowerPoint policy controls what happens to presentations that fail Office File Validation. File validation examines supported legacy PowerPoint formats for structural deviations from the expected file format. A validation failure can indicate a deliberately malformed file, but it can also result from corruption or a defect in another application.

Both values use the REG_DWORD data type and operate together:

• openinprotectedview = 0: PowerPoint blocks the file completely. The file cannot be opened, and disableeditfrompv has no practical effect on this behavior.
• openinprotectedview = 1 and disableeditfrompv = 1: PowerPoint opens the file in Protected View and prevents the user from enabling editing.
• openinprotectedview = 1 and disableeditfrompv = 0: PowerPoint initially opens the file in Protected View. The user can subsequently leave Protected View and edit the file.

Notes

Security

Blocking the file completely prevents PowerPoint from displaying its contents or opening it for editing after its structure has failed file validation.

Protected View is a restricted, read-only mode. When editing is disallowed, users can inspect a presentation with a suspicious file structure but cannot transfer it into the normal editing environment.

When editing is allowed, the user can leave Protected View. The restrictions of that mode then no longer protect the file. Because a validation failure can be caused by a deliberately malformed file structure, allowing this transition presents a greater risk of a crafted file exploiting a PowerPoint vulnerability than either blocking the file or keeping it in Protected View.

Possible side effects

Damaged files, files corrupted during transfer, and presentations produced by software with incomplete format compatibility can also fail validation. Completely blocking such a file prevents users from viewing it in PowerPoint. Disallowing editing still permits viewing in Protected View, but prevents users from editing the presentation directly.

Notes

This policy applies only to failures detected by Office File Validation. It neither enables or disables file validation itself nor controls other reasons for using Protected View, such as files obtained from the Internet, Outlook attachments, or unsafe locations.

For PowerPoint, Office File Validation primarily applies to PowerPoint 97–2003 formats such as .ppt, .pot, .pps, and .ppa. Files opened from Trusted Locations skip file validation and are therefore outside the scope of this policy.

The Office Administrative Template documents the Disabled policy state as opening failed files in Protected View without permitting editing. When the policy is Not Configured, it documents opening them in Protected View while allowing the user to enable editing.

The registry path uses product version 16.0. Current Office Administrative Templates use this version for Microsoft 365 Apps, Office 2016, Office 2019, and supported Office LTSC releases.

Microsoft documentation

Microsoft Learn: List of settings for the Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise security baseline in Intune

Microsoft Support: What is Protected View?

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

See also

• Entry in the reference