Trusted Location #15
Verified with Microsoft 365/Office 5568.1000 — updated on September 4, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
Path in the GPO console
User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Microsoft Excel 2016\Excel Options\Security\Trust Center\Trusted Locations Description
This policy setting allows you to specify a folder as a trusted location from which to open 2016 Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access and Visio files. Files in trusted locations bypass file validation, active content checks and Protected View. Macros and code in these files will execute without displaying warnings to the user. If you change or add a location make sure that the new location is secured, with only appropriate user permissions to add document/files. If you enable this policy setting, you can specify a trusted location (or folder) from which the 2016 Office application can open the files which run macros without warning. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, the trusted location is not specified.
Registry
HKCU
software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\excel\security\trusted locations\location15 Export Builder
BETAConfigure the state, scope and options, then generate .reg, PowerShell, Intune and SCCM outputs — or add the setting to a multi-setting collection.
These exports write the registry — this is not a managed GPO. ⓘ
.reg file
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Trusted Location #15
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\excel\security\trusted locations\location15]
"path"=""
"date"=""
"description"=""
"allowsubfolders"=dword:00000000More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Trusted Location #15
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\excel\security\trusted locations\location15'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'path' -Value '' -Type String
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'date' -Value '' -Type String
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'description' -Value '' -Type String
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'allowsubfolders' -Value 0 -Type DWordIntune XML
No direct Policy CSP / OMA-URI mapping for this policy. Use the Intune Remediation tab, or ingest the ADMX in Intune.Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Trusted Location #15
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\excel\security\trusted locations\location15' -Name 'path' -Expected '' -Kind String)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\excel\security\trusted locations\location15' -Name 'date' -Expected '' -Kind String)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\excel\security\trusted locations\location15' -Name 'description' -Expected '' -Kind String)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\excel\security\trusted locations\location15' -Name 'allowsubfolders' -Expected 0 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Trusted Location #15
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\excel\security\trusted locations\location15'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'path' -Value '' -Type String
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'date' -Value '' -Type String
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'description' -Value '' -Type String
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'allowsubfolders' -Value 0 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Trusted Location #15
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
# SCCM Configuration Item guidance:
# Create a Configuration Item of type "Setting: Script".
# Discovery script: use the Detection script below.
# Remediation script: use the Remediation script below.
# Compliance rule: the Discovery script output equals 'Compliant'.
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Trusted Location #15
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\excel\security\trusted locations\location15' -Name 'path' -Expected '' -Kind String)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\excel\security\trusted locations\location15' -Name 'date' -Expected '' -Kind String)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\excel\security\trusted locations\location15' -Name 'description' -Expected '' -Kind String)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\excel\security\trusted locations\location15' -Name 'allowsubfolders' -Expected 0 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Trusted Location #15
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\excel\security\trusted locations\location15'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'path' -Value '' -Type String
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'date' -Value '' -Type String
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'description' -Value '' -Type String
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'allowsubfolders' -Value 0 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.