You may see this error when trying to enable Persistent Protection after Download (PPAD). This message appears when one or more selected security settings are incompatible with PPAD.
Why this error appears
PPAD ensures that only the intended recipient can continue viewing the file even after it’s downloaded. To make this possible, we need to confirm the recipient’s identity and maintain a link between the file and their browser session.
This error typically appears for one of the following reasons:
1. Access level is set to Anyone with the link (no email verification)
When this option is selected, recipients are not required to verify their identity via email. Since PPAD relies on knowing exactly who is accessing the file, this setting is incompatible.
To resolve, simply choose a more secure access level, such as:
Only people I specify
Only people from domains I specify, and
Anyone with the link or file (email verification)
2. "Enforce email verification for every view session" is enabled
This setting forces recipients to re-verify their identity every time they open the file. This disrupts the browser-to-recipient link that PPAD depends on, especially for files viewed after download.
To resolve, simply disable the “Enforce email verification for every view session” setting.
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