Excel Trusted Locations Setup v4.0

RUN THIS FILE TO UNLOCK EXCEL MACROS WITHOUT THE PROMPTS.

Excel blocks macros and internet files by default. Staff end up changing the setting by hand, and nobody remembers what was changed. This script does that part for you.

YOU CHOOSE THE FOLDER ===

This is the biggest difference from other scripts. The script asks which folder to trust and defaults to exactly ONE folder of your choosing.

It does NOT auto-trust Downloads or Temp. Those are the two places malware is dropped most often — trusting them means every .xlsm you download runs its macros immediately, including files from strangers.

If you still want to trust Downloads, the script shows a red warning and makes you confirm before continuing.

STEP BY STEP ===

STEP 1. Enable Trusted Locations and AllowNetworkLocations.
STEP 2. Clean up old entries from the script (only entries prefixed SV_).
STEP 3. You choose the folder to trust. Desktop or Documents by default.
Keep your .xlsm files inside the folder you just trusted.
STEP 4. Junk folder cleanup — AUTO-DETECTED, nothing hard coded.
The script reads the list of network servers you currently
access, then looks for folders with the same name on Desktop,
Documents, Downloads and the script folder itself.
If you are on 10.16.238.34, the folder named "10.16.238.34" is
cleaned. On a different server it follows that server instead.
Folders are MOVED to the recycle bin, never deleted outright.
Your data stays intact — open the folder to restore it.
STEP 5. Mapped drives A-Z. The script asks about EACH one, skipping by
default. USB sticks and shared folders are drives too, so
trusting them automatically is a real risk.
STEP 6. Done. Close Excel completely, then open it again.

COMPARED WITH THE OLDER VERSION ===

1. You choose the folder instead of the script trusting 9 folders.
2. NOTHING is deleted. The old version ran a delete command on the
3. Your settings are left alone. The old version removed EVERY trusted
4. Network drives must be approved one by one.
5. Ships with a rollback script and a log recording every folder and

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS ===

• Windows 7 or newer.
• Microsoft Excel installed (16.0, 15.0, 14.0 and 12.0 auto-detected).
• No Administrator rights needed. The script only writes to HKCU.
• Excel must be CLOSED completely (including Task Manager) before running.
• Log file: trusted-locations-<date>_<time>.log next to the script.

ROLLBACK ===

Run undo_trusted_locations.bat from the same folder. It:
- Removes the SV_ entries this script created
- Turns Trusted Locations back off
- Leaves other entries alone (Trust_*, or anything IT deployed)
- Deletes no folders on your machine

SAFETY WARNING — READ BEFORE YOU BUY ===

This script creates no macros of its own and does NOT disable Protected View. It only adds the folder YOU SELECT to the trusted list.

That said, once a folder is trusted, every .xlsm/.xlsb dropped into it runs its macros immediately, including files from people who sent them to you. You need to know that before choosing.

• Do not trust Downloads. Pick a dedicated folder just for your own
• Do not trust a network share for the whole office unless you must.
• Never open .xlsm files from outside your company, or received by
• Only use this on machines you trust, ones you own, or ones your
• This tool does not replace basic security knowledge.

NOTE: Excel still asks to enable macros for files in folders you have
not trusted. That is intentional — if a file has an unclear origin,
check it before running instead of clicking through.

Only sell or deploy this to trusted business customers, internal staff
and IT technicians. Do NOT sell it to ordinary end users.