Fix Restrictions Error When Clicking Hyperlinks in Outlook or Other Office Programs

© Ramesh Srinivasan | Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP | 2nd March 2007

When you click a hyperlink in Microsoft Outlook or other Office applications, you may receive the error "This operation has been cancelled due to restrictions in effect on this computer. Please contact your system administrator.". This, in most cases is caused by broken .html, http or https protocol file association.

To resolve the problem (assuming Internet Explorer as the default web browser), use these steps:

For Windows XP

1. Click Start, Control Panel, double-click Add or Remove Programs

2. Click Set Program Access and Defaults

3. Click Custom

4. Under Choose a default Web browser, select Internet Explorer

5. Click OK

Alternately, you may launch the Set Program Access and Defaults applet via the Start menu icon (if available), or by running the command "control appwiz.cpl,,3" via the in Start, Run dialog.

For Windows Vista and Windows 7

1. Click Start, and click Default Programs

2. Click Set program access and computer defaults

3. Click Custom, select Internet Explorer and click OK

4. Close and re-open Microsoft Outlook.

Related Posts


Email SubscriptionPrefer an E-mail subscription?

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

9 Comments

  1. Beatrice
    said this on Saturday, September 10th 2011 6:07 pm

    THANKS A MILLION !!! IT WORKED !!!! YOU are AWEsome!

  2. Karen
    said this on Sunday, September 4th 2011 7:18 am

    It worked, it worked, it worked! Thank you so much for this info, and a pox on the house of Google Chrome!

  3. George Capetanakis
    said this on Wednesday, July 6th 2011 1:41 pm

    Tried your method but had no luck. I have Windows 7 Home Premium and Outlook 2010. Very frustrating bug!!!

  4. Jennifer
    said this on Sunday, July 3rd 2011 10:36 pm

    I have had this problem in outlook for months and cannot get it fixed. Try every suggested solution, nothing.

  5. Christina
    said this on Monday, June 6th 2011 4:46 pm

    I cannot get this to work on my pc at all still have the same message can someone help as its very annoying.

  6. TomB
    said this on Tuesday, February 22nd 2011 10:29 am

    Tried your procedure several times and it does not work.
    I have Windows 7 and Outlook 2007.

    Any suggestions?

  7. sam
    said this on Thursday, February 10th 2011 11:07 pm

    ditto Cathy & Evie’s comments – had tried various tactics & spent quite a bit of time researching the problem but no luck, so thanks a million for this fix!! :-)

  8. Cathy
    said this on Wednesday, January 26th 2011 4:25 pm

    Brilliant thank so easy when you know how

  9. Evie
    said this on Tuesday, January 25th 2011 6:36 am

    Thanks so much! I’ve been trying to repair this for weeks! I’ve been in the reg, all through IE, ran Outlook for XP3 compatibility…. everytwhere! This solution works! Instant repair. Thank you thank you thank you!!! :-D

Leave a Reply