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Error message when you try to open certain files in Windows 7: "Your Internet security settings prevented one or more files from being opened"

Article ID: 2588679 - View products that this article applies to.

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SYMPTOMS

When you try to open a file in Windows 7, you receive the following error message:

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CAUSE

This issue may occur because the following conditions are true:

The file type that you are trying to open is considered unsafe.
The Launching applications and unsafe files security setting is set to Disable for the zone that is associated with where the file originated.

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RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, set the Launching applications and unsafe files setting to at least Prompt. To do this, use one of the following methods:

Method 1: Reset Internet Explorer security zone settings to their default level

To reset Internet Explorer security zone settings to their default level, follow these steps:

Start Internet Explorer.
Click Tools, and then click Internet options.
Click the Security tab.
Click Reset all zones to default level, and then click OK.

Method 2: Reset Internet Explorer settings

To learn how to reset Internet Explorer settings, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

How to reset Internet Explorer settings

(http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Reset-Internet-Explorer-settings)

Note The steps in this article may not fully resolve the issue. For example, if the current Internet Explorer settings are being enforced by a Group Policy object (GPO), these steps may not resolve the issue. If you want further assistance in resolving the problem that is described in this article, contact Microsoft Customer Support.

More Information

When files are downloaded to a local computer that is running Windows XP Service Pack 2 or a later version, a security zone identifier is stored together with the file properties. This identifier corresponds to the Internet Explorer security zone for where the file was obtained.

When a downloaded file is identified as an unsafe file type, the Launching applications and unsafe files option for the corresponding security zone is queried for one of three options: Enable, Prompt, or Disable. The dialog that is mentioned in the "Symptoms" section will be displayed when the Launching applications and unsafe files option is set to Disabled.

For more information about unsafe file types, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

291369

(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/291369/ )

Information about the Unsafe File List in Internet Explorer 6, 7, or 8

925330

(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/925330/ )

An overview of unsafe file types in Microsoft products

For more information about the process that is used to apply zone identifiers to files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

883260

(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/883260/ )

Description of how the Attachment Manager works in Microsoft Windows

For more information about the Internet Explorer security zones, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

174360

(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/174360 / )

How to use security zones in Internet Explorer

182569

(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/182569/ )

Internet Explorer security zones registry entries for advanced users

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