Block opening of pre-release versions of file formats new to Excel 2016 through the Compatibility Pack for Office 2016 and Excel 2016 Converter
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 Office 2016\Office 2016 Converters Description
This policy setting controls whether users with the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2016 File Formats installed can open Office Open XML files saved with pre-release versions of Excel 2016. Excel Open XML files usually have the following extensions: .xlsx, .xlsm, .xltx, .xltm, .xlam. If you enable this policy setting, users of the Compatibility Pack will not be able to open Office Open XML files created in pre-release versions of Excel 2016. If you disable this policy setting, users with the Compatibility Pack installed can open files saved by some pre-release versions of Excel, but not by others, which can lead to inconsistent file opening functionality. If you do not configure this policy setting, the behavior is the equivalent of setting the policy to Enabled.
Registry
HKCU
software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\excel\security\fileblock Value name: excel12betafilesfromconverters
Enabled: excel12betafilesfromconverters = 1
Disabled: excel12betafilesfromconverters = 0
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: Block opening of pre-release versions of file formats new to Excel 2016 through the Compatibility Pack for Office 2016 and Excel 2016 Converter
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\excel\security\fileblock]
"excel12betafilesfromconverters"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Block opening of pre-release versions of file formats new to Excel 2016 through the Compatibility Pack for Office 2016 and Excel 2016 Converter
# 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\fileblock'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'excel12betafilesfromconverters' -Value 1 -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: Block opening of pre-release versions of file formats new to Excel 2016 through the Compatibility Pack for Office 2016 and Excel 2016 Converter
# 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\excel\security\fileblock' -Name 'excel12betafilesfromconverters' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Block opening of pre-release versions of file formats new to Excel 2016 through the Compatibility Pack for Office 2016 and Excel 2016 Converter
# 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\fileblock'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'excel12betafilesfromconverters' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Block opening of pre-release versions of file formats new to Excel 2016 through the Compatibility Pack for Office 2016 and Excel 2016 Converter
# 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: Block opening of pre-release versions of file formats new to Excel 2016 through the Compatibility Pack for Office 2016 and Excel 2016 Converter
# 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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\excel\security\fileblock' -Name 'excel12betafilesfromconverters' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Block opening of pre-release versions of file formats new to Excel 2016 through the Compatibility Pack for Office 2016 and Excel 2016 Converter
# 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\fileblock'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'excel12betafilesfromconverters' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.