How to Allow Full Disk Access for Word and Excel on Mac
Question details
The user needs to manually grant Microsoft Word and Excel Full Disk Access on a Mac to ensure the applications can properly read and save files.
- Product
- Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel
- Device & OS
- macOS
- Scenario
- Attempting to open, save, or edit files stored on the Mac's local drive or external drives.
- Observed behavior
- Word and Excel may not automatically appear in the Full Disk Access list, preventing them from accessing certain files or directories and causing permission errors.
Ensure you have administrator privileges on your Mac, as you will need your system password or Touch ID to unlock and modify Privacy & Security settings.
Manually Add Word and Excel to Full Disk Access
Use your Mac's System Settings to manually locate and add Microsoft Word and Excel to the Full Disk Access list.
Because of strict privacy protocols in macOS, some applications do not prompt for full disk access automatically. Manually adding them ensures they have the necessary permissions to function without interruptions.
Click the Apple menu () in the top-left corner of your screen and select System Settings. If you are using an older macOS version, select System Preferences.
Scroll down the left sidebar and click on Privacy & Security. For older macOS versions, click the Security & Privacy icon, then navigate to the Privacy tab.
Find and click on 'Full Disk Access' from the list of system permissions.
Click the '+' (plus) button at the bottom of the list. You may be prompted to enter your Mac administrator password or use Touch ID to unlock the settings. Navigate to your Applications folder, select Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel, and click Open.
Verify that the toggle switch next to both applications in the list is turned on. Finally, completely quit and restart Microsoft Word and Excel for the new permissions to take effect.
Try WPS Office for a Hassle-Free Mac Experience
If you are tired of dealing with system permission issues and complex settings in Microsoft Office, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, fast, and completely free alternative that works seamlessly on macOS without constant configuration.
- 1. Download for Mac: Visit the official WPS website and download the free macOS installation package.
- 2. Install Easily: Open the downloaded package and drag the WPS Office icon into your Applications folder.
- 3. Open Existing Files: Launch WPS Office and directly open your existing Word or Excel files with complete format compatibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do Word and Excel need Full Disk Access on Mac?
macOS has strict security protocols to protect your data. Granting Full Disk Access ensures that Word and Excel can seamlessly read, save, and modify documents stored in protected user folders like Documents, Desktop, and Downloads.
What happens if I don't grant Full Disk Access to Microsoft Office?
If access is denied, you may encounter error messages stating that a file cannot be opened or saved, or the application might freeze or crash when trying to interact with files in restricted directories.
Do I need to do this for PowerPoint as well?
Yes, if you use Microsoft PowerPoint and experience similar file access issues, you should manually add PowerPoint to the Full Disk Access list using the exact same steps.
Why aren't Word and Excel showing up when I click the plus button?
If they aren't in the default Applications folder, they might be installed in a different directory or on an external drive. Use the search bar within the Finder selection window to locate 'Microsoft Word.app' or 'Microsoft Excel.app'.
