Remove “Internet Security Levels Are Set Too High” Message

2012    Posted Posted by Mike     Comments 6 comments     Modified Last updated: July 30, 2016
Apr
29

The online features in QuickBooks are designed to run with the Internet Explorer security settings set to Medium. Any setting other than Medium may result in pages not displaying or features failing to work. If QuickBooks detects that the security settings are set to high, it will notify you with one of the following messages:

However, the underlying operating system in Windows Home Server 2011, Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials, and Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials includes a feature called “Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration” (or “IE ESC“) which is enabled by default. When IE ESC is enabled, it forces Internet Explorer’s Internet security zone level to be set on High, and it blocks/prevents users from changing the Internet zone’s security level to a different value.

According to Intuit the only way to successfully use QuickBooks is to disable IE ESC. To do this for your server:

1. Start a Remote Desktop Connection to your server as the Administrator (or as any user with administrator privileges if using Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials).

2. From the Administrator’s desktop select:

Start -> Administrative Tools -> Server Manager

3. In the Server Manager window that opens, click on: “Server Manager (<YourServerName>)

4. Under the “Server Summary” heading, locate the “Security Information” section and click on the “Configure IE ESC” link.

5. In the Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration window that opens, select “Off” for both “Administrators” and “Users” and click “OK“.

IE ESC is now disabled for both administrators and users on your server. However, if your users continue to encounter the “Internet Security Levels Are Set Too High” message, then you may also need to do the following:

1. Start a Remote Desktop Connection to your server as the USER (not the Administrator).

2. From the User’s desktop select:

Start -> Log off

3. Repeat steps #1 & #2 for each user that has been allowed access to WHS QuickBooks.

Your user’s should now be able to run WHS QuickBooks without receiving that pesky “Internet Security Levels Are Set Too High” or “Internet Security Levels Were Not Set Correctly” message.

NOTE: For further information on IE ESC please see: Internet Explorer: Enhanced Security Configuration

6 Comments

  • I completely concur. QuickBooks is a really old (Windows 3.1???) application that Intuit just keeps on patching and patching so that they can continue to sell you a new copy every year. They really need to break down and re-write it from the ground up (in a more modern style). Having to disable IE ESC just to use QuickBooks is silly, but in fairness to Intuit, I don’t believe that they ever intended the application to be installed on, and used from, a server operating system.

  • Thanks for the workaround, but this is a serious QuickBooks problem. There should be no reason whatsoever to modify IE security on the server just to get an application to work. The reason that IE ESC is there is to prevent programs from doing exactly what QuickBooks is doing.

  • there should be a disable button to keep message from recuring
    its because of lazy code writers and negative user experience
    one is forced to reverse engineer everything

  • Intuit has lost all of developers and has been rehashing antiquated products that it no longer has the expertise to support. They are riding on their laurels from bygone eras and old technologies. The contractors they go to for development and operations support are equally inept and lack any creative abilities. As such the only thing they can do is drop garbage like QuickBooks on a captive audience. Their Pro tech support make things worse due to their lack of even the most basic IT skills.

  • I got this message on my Laptop with Windows 8.1 the following message “Internet Security Level are Too High” I fixed at server according with your recommendation, but still has the problem with the workstation, It say connect remotely but could you please tell me how to do it.

    Thanks

  • Hi Luis,

    If your users are still seeing the “Internet Security Levels Are Set Too High” message after turning off IE ESC (for Users), then you need to perform the last few steps that I’ve listed at the very bottom of the article for each of your users (i.e. remote into each user’s desktop and then log back off again).

    Doing that should hopefully allow your user’s to be able to run WHS QuickBooks from their client computers without receiving that pesky ”Internet Security Levels Are Set Too High” message.

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