⚠️ 3 verified solutions available for Error OFFICE-POWERPOINT-MACROSECURITYERROR-038 — Last updated 2026-03-13
Error OFFICE-POWERPOINT-MACROSECURITYERROR-038 📋

Fix Microsoft PowerPoint Macro Security Error (Error 38) — Windows Error Code OFFICE-POWERPOINT-MACROSECURITYERROR-038

Error OFFICE-POWERPOINT-MACROSECURITYERROR-038 (Microsoft PowerPoint Macro Security Error (Error 38)) is a Windows General System error that occurs when microsoft powerpoint: macros have been disabled due to security settings. enable macros in trust center settings.. This guide provides step-by-step solutions to resolve this issue.

🏷️ Code: OFFICE-POWERPOINT-MACROSECURITYERROR-038 📛 Microsoft PowerPoint Macro Security Error (Error 38) 📅 Updated: 2026-03-13 ⏱️ 3 Solutions

🎮 Common Scenario: Are you experiencing Error OFFICE-POWERPOINT-MACROSECURITYERROR-038 while launching or installing Adobe Premiere Pro? The solutions below directly address the system interactions specific to this application.

⚡ Quick Fix

Update Root Certificates: Open Command Prompt as Administrator

👇 See all 3 solutions below

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Download our advanced, custom-built Smart Diagnostic Script (.bat). It safely creates a System Restore Point, applies targeted fixes based on advanced diagnostics for Error OFFICE-POWERPOINT-MACROSECURITYERROR-038, and generates a detailed HTML repair report.

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📑 Table of Contents
What is Error OFFICE-POWERPOINT-MACROSECURITYERROR-038? Common Causes Step-by-Step Solutions Prevention Tips Related Errors

💡 What is Error OFFICE-POWERPOINT-MACROSECURITYERROR-038?

Windows System Error Code OFFICE-POWERPOINT-MACROSECURITYERROR-038, known as Microsoft PowerPoint Macro Security Error (Error 38), is a General System error that occurs during core Windows operations. The error indicates that: Microsoft PowerPoint: Macros have been disabled due to security settings. Enable macros in Trust Center settings. When this error is encountered, the Windows operating system was unable to complete the requested operation within the system services subsystem. The error code OFFICE-POWERPOINT-MACROSECURITYERROR-038 is returned by the GetLastError() function and provides developers with a specific identifier to diagnose the root cause of the failure. The symbolic name Microsoft PowerPoint Macro Security Error (Error 38) maps directly to this numeric code and is commonly referenced in Microsoft documentation, developer forums, and system logs. Understanding this error and its context within core Windows operations is essential for effective troubleshooting.

⚠️ Common Causes

  • System date/time is incorrect, causing certificate validation to fail
  • Root certification authorities are outdated or missing
  • TLS protocol mismatch between client and server
  • Antivirus or proxy is intercepting SSL traffic with an untrusted certificate
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✅ Step-by-Step Solutions

1 Update Root Certificates
  1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator
  2. Run: certutil -generateSSTFromWU roots.sst
  3. This downloads the latest root certificates from Microsoft
  4. Open certmgr.msc → Trusted Root Certification Authorities → import roots.sst
  5. Restart your browser and applications
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2 Fix System Date and Time
  1. Incorrect system time is the #1 cause of SSL/TLS errors
  2. Right-click the clock in the taskbar → Adjust date/time
  3. Enable 'Set time automatically' and 'Set time zone automatically'
  4. Click 'Sync now' under 'Synchronize your clock'
  5. If time is significantly off, manually set it first, then enable auto-sync
3 Clear SSL State and Cache
  1. Press Win+R, type inetcpl.cpl, press Enter
  2. Go to the Content tab → click 'Clear SSL State'
  3. Go to the Advanced tab → ensure TLS 1.2 and TLS 1.3 are checked
  4. Uncheck SSL 3.0 and TLS 1.0 (outdated and insecure)
  5. Click Apply → OK and restart your browser

🎬 Video Tutorials

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💻 Diagnostic Command

Run this PowerShell command to find related events in your system log:

Get-EventLog -LogName System -Newest 20 | Where-Object {$_.Message -like "*OFFICE-POWERPOINT-MACROSECURITYERROR-038*" -or $_.Message -like "*Microsoft PowerPoint Macro Security Error (Error 38)*"} | Format-List

💡 Open PowerShell as Administrator, paste the command above, and press Enter.

🛡️ Prevention Tips

  • Keep your system clock synchronized (Settings → Time & Language → Sync now)
  • Install Windows Updates regularly to keep root certificates current
  • Disable SSL inspection in antivirus software if it causes certificate errors
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Last updated: 2026-03-13
📖
Based on Official Microsoft Documentation
Solutions Tested on Windows 10 & 11
Error codes sourced from Microsoft Win32 SDK. Updated 2026-03-13.
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