VBA Macro Notification Settings

UserNeeds changes for IntuneL_VBAWarningsPolicy

Supported on SUPPORTED_Windows7 (defined in the Windows templates)

5568.1000

What it does

This policy setting controls how the specified applications warn users when Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) macros are present. If you enable this policy setting, you can choose from four options for determining how the specified applications will warn the user about macros: - Disable all with notification: The application displays the Trust Bar for all macros, whether signed or unsigned. This option enforces the default configuration in Office. - Disable all except digitally signed macros: The application displays the Trust Bar for digitally signed macros, allowing users to enable them or leave them disabled. Any unsigned macros are disabled, and users are not notified. - Disable all without notification: The application disables all macros, whether signed or unsigned, and does not notify users. - Enable all macros (not recommended): All macros are enabled, whether signed or unsigned. This option can significantly reduce security by allowing dangerous code to run undetected. If you disable this policy setting, "Disable all with notification" will be the default setting. If you do not configure this policy setting, when users open files in the specified applications that contain VBA macros, the applications open the files with the macros disabled and display the Trust Bar with a warning that macros are present and have been disabled. Users can inspect and edit the files if appropriate, but cannot use any disabled functionality until they enable it by clicking "Enable Content" on the Trust Bar. If the user clicks "Enable Content", then the document is added as a trusted document. Important: If "Disable all except digitally signed macros" is selected, users will not be able to open unsigned Access databases. Also, note that Microsoft Office stores certificates for trusted publishers in the Internet Explorer trusted publisher store. Earlier versions of Microsoft Office stored trusted publisher certificate information (specifically, the certificate thumbprint) in a special Office trusted publisher store. Microsoft Office still reads trusted publisher certificate information from the Office trusted publisher store, but it does not write information to this store. Therefore, if you created a list of trusted publishers in a previous version of Microsoft Office and you upgrade to Office, your trusted publisher list will still be recognized. However, any trusted publisher certificates that you add to the list will be stored in the Internet Explorer trusted publisher store.

What it writes

Hive: HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Registry key: software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\ms project\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 sets this to Enabled, in its GPO “MSFT Microsoft 365 Apps v2512 - Require Macro Signing - User”.

vbawarnings: Set to “Disable all except digitally signed macros” (3).

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: Disable all with notification	Drop-down list	`vbawarnings`	Disable all with notification`2` Disable all except digitally signed macros`3` Disable all without notification`4` Enable all macros (not recommended)`1`

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\ms project\security]
"vbawarnings"=dword:00000002

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: VBA Macro Notification Settings
# Name: L_VBAWarningsPolicy
# Scope: User
# State: Enabled
# Source: proj16.admx

Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\ms project\security' -Name 'vbawarnings' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 2

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_proj16/L_VBAWarningsPolicy

ADMX 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_proj16/L_VBAWarningsPolicy</LocURI>
        </Target>
        <Data>&lt;enabled/&gt;
&lt;data id="L_Empty" value="2"/&gt;</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: VBA Macro Notification Settings
# Name: L_VBAWarningsPolicy
# Scope: User
# State: Enabled
# Source: proj16.admx

$isMatch = Test-RegistryValueEquals -Path 'Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\ms project\security' -Name 'vbawarnings' -Kind 'DWord' -Expected 2
if (-not $isMatch) {
    $reasons.Add('Value mismatch: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\ms project\security\vbawarnings') | 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: VBA Macro Notification Settings
# Name: L_VBAWarningsPolicy
# Scope: User
# State: Enabled
# Source: proj16.admx

Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\ms project\security' -Name 'vbawarnings' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 2

History 1 retained release

5568.100010 Aug 2026
- Already present in the first release ChangeIntel keeps.

Template

Internal name: L_VBAWarningsPolicy
Namespace: proj16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows
Template file: proj16.admx
Release: Microsoft 365 Apps 5568.1000 · file set 8be05d876aae137d…

Definition, editor controls and support

Definition

<policy Area="Security Baseline" AreaCategory="Macros" class="User" displayName="$(string.L_VBAWarningsPolicy)" explainText="$(string.L_VBAWarningsExplain)" key="software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\ms project\security" name="L_VBAWarningsPolicy" presentation="$(presentation.L_VBAWarningsPolicy)" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="proj16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_TrustCenter" />
      <supportedOn ref="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:SUPPORTED_Windows7" />
      <elements>
        <enum id="L_Empty" valueName="vbawarnings">
          <item displayName="$(string.L_DisableAllWithNotification)">
            <value>
              <decimal value="2" />
            </value>
          </item>
          <item displayName="$(string.L_DisableAllExceptDigitallySignedMacros)">
            <value>
              <decimal value="3" />
            </value>
          </item>
          <item displayName="$(string.L_DisableAllWithoutNotification)">
            <value>
              <decimal value="4" />
            </value>
          </item>
          <item displayName="$(string.L_EnableAllMacros)">
            <value>
              <decimal value="1" />
            </value>
          </item>
        </enum>
      </elements>
    </policy>

Editor controls

<presentation id="L_VBAWarningsPolicy" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
        <dropdownList defaultItem="0" noSort="true" refId="L_Empty">
        </dropdownList>
      </presentation>

Supported platforms and category

proj16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_Proj
<category displayName="$(string.L_Proj)" name="L_Proj" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
proj16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_ProjectOptions
<category displayName="$(string.L_ProjectOptions)" name="L_ProjectOptions" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="proj16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_Proj" />
    </category>
proj16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_Security
<category displayName="$(string.L_Security)" name="L_Security" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="proj16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_ProjectOptions" />
    </category>
proj16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_TrustCenter
<category displayName="$(string.L_TrustCenter)" name="L_TrustCenter" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="proj16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_Security" />
    </category>
proj16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:unresolved:Microsoft.Policies.Windows:SUPPORTED_Windows7
<unresolved reference="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:SUPPORTED_Windows7" />
proj16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_Proj
<category displayName="$(string.L_Proj)" name="L_Proj" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="proj16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_Proj">Microsoft Project 2016</string></strings>
proj16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_ProjectOptions
<category displayName="$(string.L_ProjectOptions)" name="L_ProjectOptions" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="proj16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_Proj" />
    </category>
<strings><string id="proj16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_ProjectOptions">Project Options</string></strings>
proj16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_Security
<category displayName="$(string.L_Security)" name="L_Security" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="proj16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_ProjectOptions" />
    </category>
<strings><string id="proj16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_Security">Security</string></strings>
proj16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_TrustCenter
<category displayName="$(string.L_TrustCenter)" name="L_TrustCenter" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="proj16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_Security" />
    </category>
<strings><string id="proj16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_TrustCenter">Trust Center</string></strings>