Prevent “A program is trying to access email” Pop-up When Sending Bulk Emails
When using Mail Merge in Microsoft Outlook to send emails to a large list of recipients—such as 2,000 contacts—you may encounter a security pop-up message that says:
“A program is trying to access email addresses stored in Outlook. Do you want to allow this?”
This warning is generated by Outlook’s Programmatic Access protection, which is intended to prevent unauthorized or malicious programs from sending emails through your Outlook client. While this feature adds security, it can interrupt bulk mail merges or automated processes.
Here’s how to understand and adjust the Trust Center settings to manage or suppress these alerts while maintaining system security.
Why Am I Getting the Outlook Security Pop-Up?
The warning appears when a program like Microsoft Word attempts to access Outlook to send emails during a mail merge. Outlook flags this as “suspicious activity,” especially if:
- Your antivirus software is turned off or not recognized
- Outlook does not trust the external program
This is a built-in protection feature to prevent email-based malware or spam from exploiting your email client.
How to Access and Modify Programmatic Access Settings in Outlook
To view or change these settings:
- Open Microsoft Outlook.
- Click the File tab.
- Select Options from the menu.
- Click Trust Center on the sidebar.
- Click the Trust Center Settings button.
- Choose Programmatic Access from the left-hand menu.
You will see the following three options:
1. Warn me about suspicious activity when my antivirus software is inactive or out-of-date (Recommended)
This is the default setting. Warnings will only appear if your antivirus is not running or is outdated. This setting provides a good balance between usability and security.
2. Always warn me about suspicious activity
This is the most secure option. Outlook will alert you any time a program attempts to access it, regardless of antivirus status. It is useful for maximum security, but may interrupt processes like mail merges.
3. Never warn me about suspicious activity (Not Recommended)
This setting disables all warnings and allows any program to access Outlook. Only use this in tightly controlled environments with known, trusted applications.
How to Prevent the Pop-Up During Mail Merge
If you frequently use mail merge and want to avoid being interrupted:
- Make sure your antivirus software is installed, active, and up to date
- Keep the recommended setting enabled to suppress alerts only when antivirus is active
- Avoid setting “Never warn me” unless your IT environment is fully secured
- Use trusted, signed third-party tools or add-ins for bulk email tasks
For Enterprise Users and IT Admins
Organizations sending high volumes of email through automated processes can:
- Use Group Policy to centrally manage Outlook security settings
- Configure Microsoft 365 Admin Center policies for more advanced control
- Ensure Outlook and antivirus software are properly integrated and updated
Conclusion
If you’re sending a mail merge to thousands of recipients and receiving the warning, “A program is trying to access email,” it’s likely due to Outlook’s security settings. By reviewing and adjusting your Programmatic Access settings in the Trust Center, you can streamline your mail merge process while maintaining a secure Outlook environment.
Tip: Always verify your antivirus is active and updated to reduce unnecessary prompts without disabling protection.