Fix hyperlink issues in Outlook Word and other documents and files.

If you are experiencing an issue “Can’t follow links in email “this operation has been cancelled due to restrictions in effect on this computer” error. Or getting the same error in other Office documents, then this should resolve it.

I’ve had a few clients who have had the same problem recently. Two small offices and a larger organization.

It seems they all had one thing in common. The users had recently installed and Chrome recently. And then finding this Browser was unintentionally (or secretively) installed they proceeded to uninstall/remove it. For the small office/home user this problems occurs very often. Most users have to be able to install applications. For the larger organizations this is a failure of the IT department (or their companies SOP and Policies) to properly restrict usage rights in their Active Directory GPOs

This ‘unintended’ install comes from one of my MAJOR pet peeves – software installing other non-essential and unwanted software. I believe this practice of getting unsuspecting or unaware users to install something they did not want or need by tricking them in to ‘just clicking through’ and installation of a needed or required application, plug-in or extension is downright fraudulent. Adobe is one of the worst offenders. When you update your ‘Flash Player or Shockwave Player’ they will usually try and slip in Google Chrome, McAfee or Norton Antivirus applications. And when they install those they are then set as ‘default programs’! All of which can lead to problems of usability and stability. I could go on this rant for a while but just please be warned read carefully what you are agreeing to install when you choose to update your programs/plug-ins. Make sure you ‘un-check’ any other crapware other than the actual application you are actually looking for. Okay, enough about that.

Fix for hyperlinks in email and documents:
You will need to open the registry (Go to Start type in regedit then on the found file right-click and choose ‘run as administrator) then navicate to and change the following keys from “Chromehtml” to “htmlfile”.


Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.htm]
@=”htmlfile”

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.html]
@=”htmlfile”

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.shtml]
@=”htmlfile”

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.xhtml]
@=”htmlfile”

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.xht]
@=”htmlfile”

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ftp\shell\open\command]
@=”\”C:\\Program Files\\Internet Explorer\\IEXPLORE.EXE\” %1″

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\http\shell\open\command]
@=”\”C:\\Program Files\\Internet Explorer\\IEXPLORE.EXE\” %1″

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\https\shell\open\command]
@=”\”C:\\Program Files\\Internet Explorer\\IEXPLORE.EXE\” %1″

Note you can also take the above and create a registry batch file.
Just copy the registry information (between the –) and save as a .reg file. That can then be launched and added to your registry.

This registry batch file can also be used to change the HKCU registry entries via Logon Script in Group Policy.
Create Registry.bat file with text:
systemroot%\regedit /s Registry.reg

Open Group Policy object, go to User Configuration > Windows Settings > Scripts > Logon
Click on Show Files (this opens a folder in \\domain-name\SysVol\domain-name\Policies\… ) and copy both files you created to that folder.
Click on Add and select Registry.bat
Deploy Group Policy object where required.

Well I hope that helps some.

One thought on “Fix hyperlink issues in Outlook Word and other documents and files.”

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