Is Microsoft Disabling VBA for all Products? [Apr 2022 Update]

Is Microsoft disabling VBA and macros in all of their office products?! That's a question I got this week and we're going to deep dive and explore that thoroughly in this episode of Excel VBA Is Fun!

Since the 1990s, macros have been a part of the Microsoft Office suite and since the 90s, unscrupulous jerk dirtbags have been using them to put malware and bad code in there that could take over or just do bad things to your computer. They might try to wipe out a folder here and
there or just take over control, spy on your files, etc.

Microsoft is finally cracking down on that, so let's explore this question a little bit further!

In this video, we explore the new security updates coming to Microsoft Office products starting April 2022 that are changing the way Macro-Enabled documents are going to work. We'll explore which apps are affected and their timeline for the rollout of the new features as well as the look and feel of the new warning screens.

Furthermore, we're also going to do a deep dive into which files will specifically be hit and which ones are safe to use without further action.

We have a flowchart that will show you the path Office documents will go through to deem a file safe or needing further security first.

Once you've seen the video, it will make more sense. You don't need to worry! I'll show you several ways to easily avoid this warning and I'll even show you how to resolve a file - even if you see the new warning.

I'll also show you a neat trick that allows you to open a macro-enabled file to inspect the code safely in a way that disabled the macros but still allows you to look through them and vet them.

Then, I'll give you a quick walkthrough of how to vet code from a workbook you got from the internet or someone else.

Fantastic Developer Tools:

00:00 Intro - New Security Features
00:42 The Short Answer...
01:28 Which apps are affected?
01:44 Rollout timetable
02:32 What does it look like?
03:31 Will it happen to ALL Excel, Word etc Files?
03:43 What is MOTW?
04:16 'Explain it to me like I'm five' Flowchart
04:48 How to add a Trusted Location
05:37 Code signing a document
05:55 Your company's policies
06:50 Making a Trusted Document
07:19 How to Solve?
08:31 Final Tips - Part 1
10:03 How to Open File (to inspect) with Macros Disabled
11:39 How to safely vet other people's code
12:40 Final Tips
13:32 More Videos (and Subscribe)

[ExcelVbaIsFun]

Have a comment or question for me? *Comment below* and I'll get back to you ASAP! 👇

[jamesmcmurrin]

Too many large businesses have their business logic wrapped up in Office VBA macros/programming to let it be disabled totally.

[iben]

Vba is such a sweetheart. Can't imagine using access without it 😔

[simon_mera]

Vba makes my business life so much easier...vba is here to stay!

[lukkash]

It WILL NOT happen unless they offer some replacement solution. VBA macros as well as PowerTools make Excel a true monster and champion among all other spreadsheets software.

[foxyturbine]

Very, very, very, very, very useful! Thank you!! I didn't know about that Open>Shift+Select to open a file without activating the macros. Love it!

[graxxon]

The following programs have never been able to run VBA code: Excel for Mac, Office on Android, Office on the Web, Office on the Web. That's way NOPE was on the screen 02:20

[connordejohn]

4:48 adding your downloads folder as a trusted location 😎

[SergioAlejandroCampos]

Hi. Thanks for the video. I tell you that I was inspired by this video to make my version in Spanish. In my video I mention yours.

[EricHartwigExcelConsulting]

Great Stuff Dan! Thank you for all the tips!

[wayneedmondson]

Thanks Dan! Awesome info and video!! Thanks for spreading the straight dope about what is happening and how to handle it. Appreciate all the tips. Thumbs up!!

[Info-God]

Blaming VBA for malware is like blaming one single bad person for all bad things. Wrong. VBA is so versatile, performant that only envious people will have VBA removed from MS Office.

[BrianBattles]

We have a couple thousand applications in Access using tons of VBA code

[PigeonfDoom]

Thank you so much for not dragging the solution to the end.

[JohnintheDesert]

Really loved your course on Udemy. Thank you!

[mikewashington]

Good information to know!! Thanks for providing the great video.

[eCabinetstipsandtricks]

some really great tips there Dan. Thanks for sharing

[Quiltfish]

Saving this for when my incredibly dumb automation scripts actual professionals would facepalm at at work inevitably gets flagged. Thanks!

[sidharthpattanayak]

Plz upload web automation on Selenium VBA

[CovenantElite]

Question for you, I'm new to the channel. I currently work as a Software Engineer and we have a bunch of applications that use MS Access Front-end with Oracle back-end. Have you heard anything about Access going away? What would you recommend converting the front-end to from Ms Access? Thank you.