If you installed Firefox 3 and are using Windows, you might run into a problem where Firefox does not allow you to download exe files from the Internet due to a Windows setting. You will get the message: This download has been blocked by your Security Zone Policy and your download file will never download. To fix this problem you must modify Internet Explorer settings!

- Open Internet Explorer.
- Choose Tools menu – Internet Options.
- Click the Security tab and click on the Internet icon.
- Click the Default Level button if it is clickable
- Then click Custom Level… and navigate to Miscellaneous.
- Under this section find the option: Launching applications and unsafe files.
- Change it from Disable to Prompt (Recommended).
- Click OK, Apply, then OK.
- Startup Firefox again and test it to see if it works now.
IE 8 Browsers
If you are using IE 8, you should probably look at modifying these settings as well:
- Click on Tools – Internet Options.
- Click on the Security tab.
- Click on the Sites button and verify that the website URL is in the list of trusted sites.
- Back on the Security tab, click Custom Level…
- Locate the Automatic prompting for file downloads sub-category immediately under the Downloads category. Set the radial button to Enable.
- Locate the File download sub-category immediately under the Downloads category and set the radial button to Enable.
- Click OK to save the changes and Yes when prompted to confirm the changes.
- Exit completely out of all IE windows and then try it again
This doesn’t work because when I click TOOLS, and click OPTIONS, the security system is completely different.
Worked perfect, thanks!
Wonderful! Thank you so much! =)
I don’t have that under miscellaneous :/ It’s like it skipped over it… I only have the IFRAME option, but nothing before that… HELP!
Today, November 19, 2008, I was trying to download picasa.google.com and got the This download has been blocked …message. But I could download from other sites. What it turned out to be is that somehow–undoubtedly one of my security programs–had added *.google.com to the Internet Properties>Security>Restricted sites list. I removed it and was able to download.
it works!
thanks a lot!!!!
wahahaha! This totally works! Thank you for this! Mwaaah!
Worked like a charm!! you saved me hundreds of dollars! lol! I love you!!
I don’t have that under miscellaneous…i had it some time back and it was already set to prompt n i read somewhere to disable it once and then again change it to prompt. i did that but it did not work and after that when i again went to internet options it was no longer there.PLEASE HELP
Bypass Windows Security Policy check
You can add the new preference, browser.download.manager.skipWinSecurityPolicyChecks (available in current Firefox versions) and set it to true. This will bypass the Windows Security Policy check and allow you to download executable files. To add this new preference:
1. In the Location bar, type about:config, and press EnterReturn.
* The about:config “This might void your warranty!” warning page may appear. Click I’ll be careful, I promise!, to continue to the about:config page.
2. Right-click anywhere in the list of preferences.
3. In the context menu, select New then select Boolean. The “New boolean value” dialog box will appear.
4. Enter the preference name browser.download.manager.skipWinSecurityPolicyChecksin the text field and click OK.
5. In the “Enter boolean value” box that appears, select true and click OK.
Firefox should now be able to download executable files.
Courtesy: http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/unable+to+download+or+save+files
I tried this and it worked…well somewhat!
i can’t get streaming video or audio still.
oh yes!! Finally,thanks for all your help,and i’m sorry i wanna ask something, when i want to play and etc it can’t because it’s need adobe flash player end when i want to download it,it can’t because it is block by my zone policy security,and because you it unblocked again and i download adobe flash player it can,thanks and when i want to try play again it can’t and still say i need to install adobe flash player but i alredy did, so now what?? if a have to wait a couple hour or something like that??
I have internet explorer 6 and cannot download 7 due to the fact the firefox 3 f*ck*d! me over
i still can’t download!! i want to download adobe flash player but doesn’t work anymore. what should i do??
YAY!! Changing/customizing the Win security settings did NOT work, but the browser.download.manager.skipWinSecurityPolicyChecks DID!!!
Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom!!!!!!
😀