Who is this article for?

Users who are encountering the error when trying to open hyperlinks in documents.

No special access or permissions are required.

This article will help you troubleshoot the error you may encounter when trying to open hyperlinks within documents (e.g., Excel files).

1. Issue

When attempting to open hyperlinks in documents, Windows will generate the following error: “Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item.”.

This error originates from Windows, not from Internal Audit • Alto. It typically occurs due to:

• File or folder permissions
• File location (e.g., network or external drives)
• Security settings or antivirus restrictions
• Corrupted or moved files

2. Resolution

You can find more information about this issue in the official Microsoft article, Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file.

To resolve the issue,investigate if the:

• User does not have permission to access the file or location
• File is located on a network or external drive that is not currently connected
• File has been moved or deleted
• File or shortcut is corrupt
• File may be blocked by Windows
• Antivirus software may be blocking the file