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You can open and run an Excel 4.0 macro sheet (XLM) in supported Windows desktop versions of Excel, but do so only after checking the workbook’s source. In Excel, allow the file type to open under File Block Settings, then enable XLM through Macro Settings while keeping the VBA macro policy restrictive. These settings permit execution; they do not prove a workbook is safe.
Before enabling an old macro sheet
Excel 4.0 macros are also called XLM macros. Microsoft lists Microsoft 365, Excel 2024, and Excel 2021 among the Windows desktop versions that still support them. Support does not mean an old workbook is trustworthy: if you cannot establish why you received it or what its macros do, do not enable them.
A message such as “Because of your security settings, macros have been disabled” reports Excel’s current security behavior. It does not establish whether the workbook is safe or unsafe. Microsoft warns that enabling all macros can allow potentially dangerous code to run. See Microsoft’s XLM macro guidance and its macro policy guidance.
Allow the macro sheet to open and configure XLM execution
Excel makes two separate decisions: whether a macro-sheet file type may open, and whether its code may run. Check both controls rather than changing the overall policy to allow every macro.
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| Decision | Setting | What it controls |
|---|---|---|
| May the file type open? | Trust Center Settings > File Block Settings > Excel 4 MacroSheets > Open | Whether Excel allows this file type to open. |
| May XLM code run? | Trust Center Settings > Macro Settings, including the XLM checkbox and selected VBA macro policy | Whether Excel permits XLM code under the chosen macro-security policy. |
- Check the workbook’s source. Proceed only if you have a sound reason to trust the file and its macros. The settings below are not a safety check.
- Open the macro settings. In desktop Excel, go to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Macro Settings.
- Allow XLM under the selected VBA policy. Select Enable Excel 4.0 macros when VBA macros are enabled. Microsoft says the selected VBA macro settings then apply to XLM. If this checkbox is not selected, XLM macros are disabled without notification.
- Keep the VBA policy restrictive. For case-by-case decisions, use Disable VBA macros with notification, which disables macros while showing security alerts. Do not choose Enable all macros as a general workaround; Microsoft marks it as not recommended because potentially dangerous code can run. See Microsoft’s descriptions of Excel macro security settings.
- Allow Excel 4 MacroSheets to open. In Trust Center Settings > File Block Settings, find Excel 4 MacroSheets and make sure Open is checked. Microsoft’s XLM instructions also say to set the selected file types’ open behavior to Open selected file types in Protected View and allow editing.
- Reopen the workbook if macros were disabled. Microsoft says an XLM workbook opened with macros disabled must be reopened and macros enabled before they can run. Reopening does not change the need to assess the file’s source.
If the settings are missing or unavailable
Your organization may manage Excel’s macro policy. If a setting is unavailable, or Excel reports that an administrator controls it, contact the person responsible for Office policy instead of trying to bypass the restriction. Microsoft has documented controls for restricting XLM macros through Group Policy; the options visible to you depend on your organization’s Office deployment. See the Microsoft Excel team’s XLM restriction guidance.
Plan a migration for recurring use
For a workbook that remains important to a business process, consider reviewing and migrating its XLM macros to VBA. Microsoft continues to support XLM but recommends migration, and describes VBA object-model additions intended to help with functions that previously lacked VBA equivalents. Treat migration as a change that needs validation: compare the converted workbook’s results with expected results before relying on it.
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What runtime inspection can and cannot do
Microsoft describes runtime inspection of XLM macros using the Antimalware Scan Interface (AMSI). Its operation depends on the registered antimalware provider and security configuration, so it is an additional defense rather than a reason to trust an unknown workbook. See Microsoft Security’s explanation of XLM and AMSI.
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