Microsoft PowerPoint 2016 › PowerPoint Options › Security
OLE Active Content
Supported on SUPPORTED_Windows7 (defined in the Windows templates)
What it does
This policy setting controls the prompting and activation behavior for the "OLE Active Content" option in PowerPoint. If you enable this policy setting, you can choose from three options to control how the "OLE Active Content" option functions: - Disable (don't activate any OLE Active Content). If users click an action button with the "Object action" action assigned to it, nothing will happen. - Enable (prompt user before activating OLE Active Content). If users click an action button with the "Object action" action assigned to it, PowerPoint will prompt them to continue before activating the action. This option enforces the default configuration in PowerPoint. - Enable all (allow activating OLE Active Content without prompting). If users click an action button with the "Object action" action assigned to it. PowerPoint will activate the action automatically, without prompting. If you do not configure this policy setting, PowerPoint follows the Enable (prompt user before activating OLE Active Content) option.
What it writes
- Hive
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER
- Registry key
software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\powerpoint\security
Why it needs changes for Intune
- Policy references a Windows supportedOn definition.
- ADMX-INTUNE-WINDOWS-SUPPORTEDON-REFERENCE
Security baselines
Microsoft's Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise 2512 configures this, in its GPO “MSFT Microsoft 365 Apps v2512 - User”.
- enableoleactions
- Deletes the enableoleactions value, so nothing is set there and the product's own default applies.
Read from the registry.pol files in the baselines' GPO backups, downloaded from Microsoft's Security Compliance Toolkit. All baselines
Options
| Option | Type | Registry value | Allowed values |
|---|---|---|---|
| L_EmptyDefault: enable (prompt user before activating OLE Active Content) | Drop-down list | enableoleactions |
|
Configure and deploy
Choose a state and the option values; the output below is generated from the template for exactly that.
Enabled · User · template defaults
Registry file (.reg)
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\powerpoint\security]
"enableoleactions"=dword:00000001
PowerShell
$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
function Set-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $PropertyType,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Value
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
New-Item -Path $Path -Force | Out-Null
}
New-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -PropertyType $PropertyType -Value $Value -Force | Out-Null
}
function Remove-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
)
if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path) {
Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}
function Clear-RegistryKeyValues {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
return
}
foreach ($propertyName in (Get-Item -LiteralPath $Path).Property) {
Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}
# Policy: OLE Active Content
# Name: L_OLEActions
# Scope: User
# State: Enabled
# Source: ppt16.admx
Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\powerpoint\security' -Name 'enableoleactions' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 1
- The OMA-URI is an inferred ADMX-backed Policy CSP candidate derived from the source ADMX file name and policy name.
- Some Microsoft policies use built-in Policy CSP pages whose area names don't match the ADMX file name, so verify the candidate against Microsoft Learn before deployment.
ADMX profile candidate (OMA-URI)
./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_ppt16/L_OLEActionsADMX SyncML candidate
<SyncML xmlns="SYNCML:SYNCML1.2">
<SyncBody>
<Replace>
<CmdID>1</CmdID>
<Item>
<Meta>
<Format>chr</Format>
<Type>text/plain</Type>
</Meta>
<Target>
<LocURI>./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_ppt16/L_OLEActions</LocURI>
</Target>
<Data><enabled/>
<data id="L_Empty" value="1"/></Data>
</Item>
</Replace>
<Final/>
</SyncBody>
</SyncML>Intune remediation scripts
Detection
$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
$reasons = [System.Collections.Generic.List[string]]::new()
function Test-RegistryValueExists {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
return $false
}
return $null -ne (Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)
}
function Test-RegistryValueEquals {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Kind,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Expected
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
return $false
}
$valueObject = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
if ($null -eq $valueObject) {
return $false
}
$actual = $valueObject.$Name
switch ($Kind) {
'String' { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
'ExpandString' { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
'DWord' { return [uint32]$actual -eq [uint32]$Expected }
'QWord' { return [uint64]$actual -eq [uint64]$Expected }
'MultiString' {
$actualArray = @($actual)
$expectedArray = @($Expected)
if ($actualArray.Count -ne $expectedArray.Count) { return $false }
for ($index = 0; $index -lt $actualArray.Count; $index++) {
if ([string]$actualArray[$index] -cne [string]$expectedArray[$index]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
'Binary' {
$actualArray = [byte[]]$actual
$expectedArray = [byte[]]$Expected
if ($actualArray.Length -ne $expectedArray.Length) { return $false }
for ($index = 0; $index -lt $actualArray.Length; $index++) {
if ($actualArray[$index] -ne $expectedArray[$index]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
default { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
}
}
# Policy: OLE Active Content
# Name: L_OLEActions
# Scope: User
# State: Enabled
# Source: ppt16.admx
$isMatch = Test-RegistryValueEquals -Path 'Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\powerpoint\security' -Name 'enableoleactions' -Kind 'DWord' -Expected 1
if (-not $isMatch) {
$reasons.Add('Value mismatch: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\powerpoint\security\enableoleactions') | Out-Null
}
if ($reasons.Count -eq 0) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
$reasons | ForEach-Object { Write-Output $_ }
exit 1
Remediation
$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
function Set-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $PropertyType,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Value
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
New-Item -Path $Path -Force | Out-Null
}
New-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -PropertyType $PropertyType -Value $Value -Force | Out-Null
}
function Remove-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
)
if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path) {
Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}
function Clear-RegistryKeyValues {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
return
}
foreach ($propertyName in (Get-Item -LiteralPath $Path).Property) {
Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}
# Policy: OLE Active Content
# Name: L_OLEActions
# Scope: User
# State: Enabled
# Source: ppt16.admx
Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\powerpoint\security' -Name 'enableoleactions' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 1
History 1 retained release
- 5568.100010 Aug 2026
- Already present in the first release ChangeIntel keeps.
Template
- Internal name
L_OLEActions- Namespace
ppt16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows- Template file
ppt16.admx- Release
- Microsoft 365 Apps 5568.1000 · file set
8be05d876aae137d…
Definition, editor controls and support
Definition
<policy Area="Security Baseline" AreaCategory="Add-ins and Extensibility" class="User" displayName="$(string.L_OLEActions)" explainText="$(string.L_OLEActionsExplain)" key="software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\powerpoint\security" name="L_OLEActions" presentation="$(presentation.L_OLEActions)" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="ppt16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_Security" />
<supportedOn ref="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:SUPPORTED_Windows7" />
<elements>
<enum id="L_Empty" valueName="enableoleactions">
<item displayName="$(string.L_Disabledoleactions)">
<value>
<decimal value="0" />
</value>
</item>
<item displayName="$(string.L_Enablepromptoleactions)">
<value>
<decimal value="1" />
</value>
</item>
<item displayName="$(string.L_Enablealloleactions)">
<value>
<decimal value="2" />
</value>
</item>
</enum>
</elements>
</policy>Editor controls
<presentation id="L_OLEActions" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<dropdownList defaultItem="1" noSort="true" refId="L_Empty">
</dropdownList>
</presentation>Supported platforms and category
ppt16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_MicrosoftOfficePowerPoint
<category displayName="$(string.L_MicrosoftOfficePowerPoint)" name="L_MicrosoftOfficePowerPoint" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
ppt16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_PowerPointOptions
<category displayName="$(string.L_PowerPointOptions)" name="L_PowerPointOptions" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="ppt16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_MicrosoftOfficePowerPoint" />
</category>
ppt16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_Security
<category displayName="$(string.L_Security)" name="L_Security" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="ppt16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_PowerPointOptions" />
</category>
ppt16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:unresolved:Microsoft.Policies.Windows:SUPPORTED_Windows7
<unresolved reference="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:SUPPORTED_Windows7" />
ppt16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_MicrosoftOfficePowerPoint
<category displayName="$(string.L_MicrosoftOfficePowerPoint)" name="L_MicrosoftOfficePowerPoint" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="ppt16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_MicrosoftOfficePowerPoint">Microsoft PowerPoint 2016</string></strings>
ppt16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_PowerPointOptions
<category displayName="$(string.L_PowerPointOptions)" name="L_PowerPointOptions" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="ppt16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_MicrosoftOfficePowerPoint" />
</category>
<strings><string id="ppt16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_PowerPointOptions">PowerPoint Options</string></strings>
ppt16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_Security
<category displayName="$(string.L_Security)" name="L_Security" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="ppt16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_PowerPointOptions" />
</category>
<strings><string id="ppt16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_Security">Security</string></strings>