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Why the ms-word URI Scheme Makes an Extra Request

Camila Milosovich Oct 1, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user is experiencing an additional HTTP request when opening an ms-word URI from a web application that relies on Digest authentication.

Why the ms-word URI Scheme Makes an Extra Request

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Triggering the ms-word URI scheme to open a document from a web application utilizing Digest authentication.
Observed behavior: Microsoft Word sends an extra, often unexpected request to the web server during the document initialization or authentication process.

Before you start

Verify your web server's authentication logs to confirm whether the extra request is failing or if it is simply part of the standard authentication handshake.

Solution 1Recommended

Consult Microsoft Server Communities

Since this behavior is tied to web server authentication rather than the Word client itself, consulting specialized server communities is recommended.

The additional request is typically caused by the challenge-response mechanism inherent to Digest authentication, combined with how Office applications probe the server for authoring capabilities (such as WebDAV).

Because this is a server configuration interaction rather than a client-side bug, standard Word settings will not resolve it.

Review Server Logs

Check your IIS or web server access logs to identify the exact HTTP methods (such as OPTIONS or PROPFIND) being sent by the Word client before the GET request.

Ask the IIS Community

Post your server logs and authentication setup details in the Microsoft Q&A Internet Information Services (IIS) community at https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/tags/85/windows-iis.

Consult Word Management

If server adjustments do not resolve the issue, ask for specialized help in the Office Word Management community at https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/tags/361/office-word-management.

Authentication Handshakes: Digest authentication inherently requires an initial unauthenticated request to receive the server's challenge before sending the actual credentials, which often appears in logs as an 'extra' request.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the ms-word URI scheme?

The ms-word URI scheme is a specialized protocol handler that allows web browsers to launch Microsoft Word and directly open or edit documents hosted on a remote server.

Why does Digest authentication cause multiple requests?

Digest authentication utilizes a challenge-response mechanism. The client first sends a request without credentials, the server responds with a challenge, and the client then sends a second request containing the encrypted credentials.

Can I stop Word from making OPTIONS or PROPFIND requests?

Microsoft Office applications frequently send OPTIONS or PROPFIND requests to determine if the server supports WebDAV authoring. This probing behavior is built into Office and usually requires specific server-side configurations to handle or bypass gracefully.

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