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Configure trust settings for files and folders

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In Visual Studio 2022, we've revamped the Trust Settings functionality to show a warning whenever untrusted code is opened in the IDE.

Software developers are increasingly being targeted by malware. The new Trust Settings functionality aims to raise awareness about the risks of handling unfamiliar code, and helps protect against malicious actors, who are targeting scenarios ranging from opening content (for example, repositories, solutions, projects, and files) to building and running applications with Visual Studio.

The Trusted locations feature is not enabled by default.

Enable trusted locations

To enable the Trusted locations feature, follow these steps:

  1. Open Tools > Options > Trust Settings.

  2. In the Trust Policies pane, select Require a trust decision before opening content.

Screenshot showing how to enable trusted locations by using the Trust Settings options.

Note

The Skip trust checks for temporary locations Visual Studio creates automatically option is enabled by default but it has no impact unless the Require a trust decision before opening content option is also enabled.

After it's enabled, Visual Studio detects if you're attempting to open content that isn't designated as trusted and shows a new dialog that warns you about the security implications.

Screenshot of the Trust Settings warning dialog.

Manage trust settings

Here's how to add trusted locations, and to remove them.

Add trusted locations

After you've enabled the feature, all content that you open with Visual Studio 2022 is considered untrusted until you add it to the list of Trusted locations. You can trust a folder location directly from the warning dialog. Here's how:

  1. Choose the folder you want to trust (the current folder or the parent folder) from the Trust level dropdown list.

    Screenshot showing how to trust a folder from the warning dialog.

  2. Select the Trust and continue button on the dialog.

    Visual Studio adds the folder path to the Trusted locations list at Tools > Options > Trust Settings.

You can also add folders to Trusted locations from the Trust Settings dialog. Here's how:

  1. Open Tools > Options > Trust Settings. You can also open Trust Settings by selecting Manage trust settings from the warning dialog.

  2. Select Add a Folder in the right-hand Trust Policies pane.

  3. Navigate to and select the folder you want to add to the trusted list.

    The folder path appears in the Trusted locations list. This folder that you added manually is listed as Trusted By the Local User.

    Screenshot showing a folder added to the **Trusted locations**.

Note

After you've enabled the Trusted locations feature, the folder path for any content you create in Visual Studio will automatically get added to the Trusted locations list. This folder path is listed as Trusted By the System.

Screenshot showing the **Trusted By** values of *Local User* and *System* in the **Trusted locations** list.

Remove trusted locations

To remove trusted locations, follow these steps:

  1. Open Tools > Options > Trust Settings.

  2. Select the path you'd like to remove in the Trusted locations list, and then click Remove.

    Tip

    To select multiple entries, hold down Shift while you select the paths.

    The selected paths are removed from the Trusted locations list.

Visual Studio prompts for user approval before opening projects that have the Mark of the Web. For added security, you can also configure Visual Studio to prompt for user approval before opening any file or folder that has the mark of the web attribute, or that isn't designated as trusted. File and folder checks are disabled by default.

Warning

You should still ensure that the file, folder, or solution comes from a trusted person or a trusted location before approving it.

Note

In Visual Studio 2022, we've revamped the Trust Settings functionality to show a warning whenever untrusted code in files, folders, projects, and solutions are about to be opened in the IDE. This feature is disabled by default. To learn more, see the Visual Studio 2022 version of this page.

Configure trust settings

To change trust settings, follow these steps:

  1. Open Tools > Options > Trust Settings and select the Configure Trust Settings link in the right-hand pane.

  2. Choose the level of checks you'd like for files and folders. You can have different checks for each one. The options are:

    • No verification: Visual Studio doesn't perform any checks.

    • Verify mark of the web attribute: If the file or folder has the mark of the web attribute, Visual Studio blocks and asks for permission to open.

    • Verify path is trusted: If the file or folder path isn't part of the Trusted Paths list, Visual Studio blocks and asks for permission to open.

    Trust verification options

Add trusted paths

To add trusted paths, follow these steps:

  1. Open Tools > Options > Trust Settings and select the Configure Trust Settings link in the right-hand pane.

  2. Click Add in the Trust Settings dialog, and then select File or Folder.

  3. Navigate to and select the file or folder you want to add to the trusted list.

    The file or folder path appears in the Trusted Paths list.

    Added trusted paths

Remove trusted paths

To remove trusted paths, follow these steps:

  1. Open Tools > Options > Trust Settings and select the Configure Trust Settings link in the right-hand pane.

  2. Select the path you'd like to remove in the Trusted Paths list, and then click Remove.

    Tip

    To select multiple entries, hold down Shift while you select the paths.

    The selected paths are removed from the Trusted Paths list.

See also

Build an application in Visual Studio