View downloaded PDF files

When you download a PDF file and receive a warning that it might damage your computer, this is likely due to the file being flagged as coming from an untrusted source. To classify a source as trustworthy, you can follow these steps:

1. Enable Editing: If the PDF opens in a protected view, look for an option to enable editing. This will allow you to interact with the document.
2. Trust Individual Documents: You can trust individual documents to prevent them from opening in a protected state. This can typically be done by clicking on a button or link that says "Enable Editing" or similar when the document is opened.
3. Check Security Settings: Ensure your security settings in the browser or system are not overly restrictive. You can adjust these settings in the security or privacy sections of your browser or operating system.
4. Review Source: Always ensure that the source of the PDF is reputable. If you are unsure, do not proceed with trusting the document.

If you continue to experience issues, you may want to look into your browser's security settings or consult the documentation for your specific PDF viewer or browser for further guidance on managing trust settings for files downloaded from the internet.

References:

• Enable or disable hyperlink warning messages in Office applications
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS02-047 - Critical

This problem is caused by the October update, initially this was thought to be a bug in that update, however, Microsoft have now indicated on the link below that this is a deliberate security measure added in that October update.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/file-explorer-automatically-disables-the-preview-feature-for-files-downloaded-from-the-internet-56d55920-6187-4aae-a4f6-102454ef61fb

This forum is just a user to user forum, the best option would be to open the Feedback App in Windows and provide feedback to their support about this lack of functionality caused by that update.

In the meantime, right click a PDF file you have downloaded and select properties, on the resulting dialog, there should be an option at the bottom to Unblock the file to allow you to preview the file.