When you try to click a link in an email message in Microsoft Outlook 2016 for Windows, you may get the following error:
This operation has been canceled due to restrictions in effect on this computer. Please contact your system administrator.
This problem can be solved most of the time by setting one of your web browsers as the default. Follow these steps.
Fix 1 – Set a Valid Default Browser
- Open “Control Panel“.
- Select “Default Programs“. If you don’t see that option, select “Programs“.
- Choose “Set program access and computer defaults“.
- Expand the “Custom” section by selecting the arrow on the right side, then choose your preferred web browser, then click “OK“.
Fix 2 – Microsoft Fix It Solution
If the steps above didn’t work, try Microsoft’s “Fix it” solution on their page titled “Hyperlinks are not working in Outlook“.
Fix 3 – Repair Office
- Open the “Control Panel“.
- Select “Programs“
- Select “Programs and Features“
- Find “Microsoft Office” in the list. (Likely listed as “Microsoft Office 365”)
- Right-click “Microsoft Office“, then select “Change“.
- Select “Online Repair“, then select the “Repair” button.
- Select “Repair” again in the dialog that appears.
There is another way in which Office documents such as Excel and Word may stop responding to clicks on hyperlinks, giving the popup reading: “This operation has been cancelled due to restrictions in effect on this computer.” This issue leaves no clue as to the possible cause.
In my case the problem was caused by a previous installation, and subsequent un-installation, of Comodo Dragon (a variant of Chrome.) It left a number of registry entries in HKCU / Software / Classes. These entries included .htm, .html, and a few others that referred to Dragon. The problem was resolved by deleting the keys in this section of the Registry that contained the word “Dragon.” (There were about 4 or 5). The reason I deleted the keys is that 2 other PCs I own that worked correctly did not have these keys in the Registry. It is possible that un-installation of recent versions of Chrome may cause the same problem, since Comodo Dragon is very similar to Chrome.
After the repair, there was no need to reset Internet Explorer as the default program, as this was not affected in my case.