Run-a-Script Rules Missing in Outlook

Last reviewed on December 28, 2018 36 Comments

Applies to: Outlook 2019 (Win), Outlook 2016 (Win), Outlook 2013, Outlook 2010

January 23, 2017 by Diane Poremsky 36 Comments

Office users who use run-a-script rules are discovering their scripts are currently disabled (as is Start Application), thanks to a security update. When the update is installed, any existing run-a-script and run application rules will be disabled.

To fix, you need to set the EnableUnsafeClientMailRules value in the registry then restart Outlook.

Outlook 2016
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\Security
DWORD: EnableUnsafeClientMailRules
Value: 1

Outlook 2013
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Outlook\Security
DWORD: EnableUnsafeClientMailRules
Value: 1

Outlook 2010
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Outlook\Security
DWORD: EnableUnsafeClientMailRules
Value: 1

If you don't want to edit the registry yourself, you can use this ready-to-use .reg file.
Outlook 2016/2019/365 Outlook 2013 Outlook 2010

One option is to convert the run-a-script to an ItemAdd macro. Depending on the conditions in your rule, converting it to an ItemAdd macro may be as simple as adding the application startup macro, renaming the script, and adding an If statement. For information on using ItemAdd macros, see How to use an ItemAdd Macro.

More Information

The option to "Run a Script" has disappeared from the Outlook rules

About Diane Poremsky

A Microsoft Outlook Most Valuable Professional (MVP) since 1999, Diane is the author of several books, including Outlook 2013 Absolute Beginners Book. She also created video training CDs and online training classes for Microsoft Outlook. You can find her helping people online in Outlook Forums as well as in the Microsoft Answers and TechNet forums.

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Dal

Thank you for your work on this script as follows in Outlook, but when I try to create a new rule and add a script, nothing shows up in the list to select. ' Written by Michael Bauer, vboffice.net ' //www.vboffice.net/en/developers/print-attachments-automatically ' use Declare PtrSafe Function with 64-bit Outlook 'Private Declare Function ShellExecute Lib "shell32.dll" Alias _ ' "ShellExecuteA" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal lpOperation As String, _ ' ByVal lpFile As String, ByVal lpParameters As String, _ ' ByVal lpDirectory As String, ByVal nShowCmd As Long) As Long Private WithEvents Items As Outlook.Items Private Sub Application_Startup() Dim Ns As Outlook.NameSpace Dim Folder As Outlook.MAPIFolder Set Ns = Application.GetNamespace("MAPI") Set Folder = Ns.GetDefaultFolder(olFolderInbox) Set Items = Folder.Items End Sub Private Sub Items_ItemAdd(ByVal Item As Object) If TypeOf Item Is Outlook.MailItem Then PrintAttachments Item End If End Sub Private Sub PrintAttachments(oMail As Outlook.MailItem) On Error Resume Next Dim colAtts As Outlook.Attachments Dim oAtt As Outlook.Attachment Dim sFile As String Dim sDirectory As String Dim sFileType As String sDirectory = "C:\Attachments\" Set colAtts = oMail.Attachments If colAtts.Count Then For Each oAtt In colAtts ' This code looks at the last 4 characters in a filename sFileType = LCase$(Right$(oAtt.FileName, 4)) Select Case sFileType… Read more »

Diane Poremsky

That is an item add macro - it run when a new message is added to the Inbox.
Private Sub Items_ItemAdd(ByVal Item As Object)

If you want to use PrintAttachments in a rule, try putting it in a new module.

sistrunk

Thank you for all this work, and posting it so nicely and thoroughly!
I am in a secure environment, therefore I will not be able to by-pass the Run-a-Script security. I tried to run from macro using your code:
Sub SendNew(Item As Outlook.MailItem)
Dim objMsg As MailItem
Set objMsg = Application.CreateItemFromTemplate("C:\Users\RDGRLVAS\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates\fomas.oft")
objMsg.Recipients.Add Item.SenderEmailAddress
' Copy the original message subject
objMsg.Subject = "Before 1530et - Please provide input for weekly update to BC/DCs for FOMAS and associated 6.1" & Item.Subject

objMsg.Send
End Sub
------------------
I just paste it in the VvaProject.OTM-ThisOutlookSession (Code)
-----

I am not sure if I should put it somewhere else? but it doesn't run.

Diane Poremsky

When you can't use it in a rule, you either need to use an itemadd macro or run the macro manually. You can use a 'stub' macro to process the currently selected item with the script.

It doesn't need to be in ThisOutlookSession if its not running automatically, but should work in either ThisOutlookSession or a new module.

Sub RunScript()
Dim objApp As Outlook.Application
Dim objItem As Object ' MailItem
Set objApp = Application
Set objItem = objApp.ActiveExplorer.Selection.Item(1)

'macro name you want to run goes here
YourMacroName objItem

End Sub

Dan S

I copied and paste the VBA to create a task after sending an email. When I say Yes I get an error message see attached. I did the registry thing and restarted Outlook but still get it. Please help

Error.docx

Diane Poremsky

Sorry I missed this earlier. :( What macro are you using? The error 'Run-time error '438': Object doesn't support this property or method' indicates you are running the macro on a item that doesnt have the field the macro is looking for.

serg

Why in O2016 list with scripts is empty?

Diane Poremsky

What is the script title? Where is the script stored?
The title needs to be something like sub macroname(item as mailitem) to show in the script list. It should be in a module - while they will usually work in ThisOutlookSession, on occasion, they won't show up in the list.

Eugenia

have you saved the script in VBA window (Alt+F11) first?

abe

i have same problem here..

Diane Poremsky

Did you put the script in ThisOutlookSession or in a new module?

Vince Thigpen

Thank you! This got my rule and macro running again! While macros could be a security risk, for some of us they are definitely a time and labor saving feature!
Thanks again!

Bret S.

I found this works for Outlook 2010 as well. Recent security updates effectively killed some of my rules that ran scripts. I simply put the same value in the HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Outlook\Security key.

I did discover that beyond simply exiting and restarting Outlook, it was necessary for me to restart my workstation completely before all functionality was restored.

Diane Poremsky

So they disabled it in 2010 now too... i hoped it might escape. :(

Bret S

Thank you for this registry edit. A recent security update rendered some of my Outlook 2010 rules disabled. Finding no other explanations, I tried inserting the "EnableUnsafeClientMailRules" value in the \Office\14.0 portion of the registry.

While I am now able to edit the rules and the Run a Script option is back in the actions portion of the rules editor, the macros will not run. They do not throw up any error messages, they just don't run. The trust center settings have not changed any, the macros have a trusted digital signature and the macro settings are set to prompt. I don't even get the prompt now. Any ideas are welcome and appreciated.

Diane Poremsky

What does the script do? If you add msgbox "Rule is working" at the very top of the script, does it work?

Ian McCoy

Didn't work 2016, it worked before but this time no good, any ideas please?

Diane Poremsky

You set the new registry key to allow run a script rules? You need to restart Outlook for it to take effect.