Opening DRM-protected MS Office Documents

Opening DRM-protected MS Office Documents

(Click here to learn about opening DRM-protected PDF documents.)

1. Make sure you are connected to the Internet. In order to communicate with CapLinked and Microsoft servers to open the document, the user must be connected the internet.

2. Make sure you are using the appropriate application to open the document. CapLinked DRM works with all file types upon upload to Caplinked. All file types with DRM applied will be converted to PDF format once downloaded. Please ensure that you are using the updated version on Acrobat Adobe to open the files. 

3. Enter the correct email and password when prompted. The credentials (user email and password) entered to view the document must match the credentials of the individual who downloaded the document. In order to maintain security, the only user email and password that can successfully opened a DRM-protected document are those of the downloader's, even if the user who enters their credentials also has access to the document.

4. Make sure the settings for the DRM-protected document have not changed. If there has been a change to the "Print", "Copy", "Edit" or access has been revoked and re-granted, or if the date of revoking has been altered, the individual who have already downloaded the document may not be able to open document. In this case, re-downloading the document will provide the user with a functional version. If you suspect that these changes have been made, re-download the document and try again. If you suspect that your access has been revoked, please contact your workspace administrator.

5. Allow your computer to access the CapLinked DRM server for Acrobat Adobe. When attempting to open a DRM-protected document, you may encounter the following error message (or one very similar to it):

If this occurs on a Windows computer, do the following:

1. Open Internet Explorer.
2. Go to https://office-protect.caplinked.com/_wmcs/licensing
3. Click the Tools button, and then click Internet Options.
4. Click the Security tab, and then click on Trusted sites.
5. Click Sites.
6. The website (https://office-protect.caplinked.com/_wmcs/licensing) should be shown in the Add this website to the zone field. Click Add.
7. Click Close, and then click OK.

6. Ensure that your company's network can access the CapLinked DRM server. If you see an error message like the one above and your personal computer has trusted the appropriate domains, have the appropriate IT personnel whitelist the following domains:

• https://office-protect.caplinked.com/_wmcs/licensing

7. Make sure that your computer has not cached incorrect DRM credentials. If incorrect credentials are saved onto his/her computer, they may not be able to open the document even if they are currently entering the correct information. 

For Mac computers, please follow these steps to reset the Mac IRM (Information Rights Management) Client:

A. Delete the following folder:

• ~/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Office/DRM

B. Delete the following files:

• ~/Library/Preferences/ByHost/MicrosoftRegistrationDB.plist 
• ~/Library/Preferences/com.microsoft.MicrosoftOfficeDRM.plist

C. There may be login keychains that need clearing. Open the Keychain Access application, and remove the following login keychains:

• corprights
• com.microsoft.ipc.h
• com.microsoft.ipc.k
• office-security (server)

Get more information on the resetting the Mac IRM Client from the official Microsoft Website.

For Windows computers, please follow the steps on the Microsoft DRM troubleshooting page to clear the cache of saved DRM credentials.

8. Make sure that you are not already signed into Acrobat Adobe with a differing personal account. If you are signed in with an account other than your CapLinked account, then that account will need to be signed off first before the document will accept your DRM/ CapLinked credentials.

Steps to sign-out of personal account:

• Click your name in upper right hand corner
• Select Switch Account from the menu
• Choose the Sign Out option under the Accounts label
• Log in with your CapLinked credentials (user email and password)