How to Add a Trusted Location in AutoCAD
To add a Trusted Location in AutoCAD: type OPTIONS, go to the Files tab, expand Trusted Locations, click Add, browse to the folder, and OK out. AutoCAD will load LISP, .NET, and ARX files from that folder without prompting.
Steps
Open Options
Type OPTIONS at the AutoCAD command line, or click the Application menu → Options.
Navigate to Trusted Locations
Go to the Files tab. Scroll down and expand 'Trusted Locations'.
Add your folder
Click Add, then Browse. Pick the folder containing your LISP routines or .NET DLLs. Click OK. The folder appears in the list with a green check.
Apply and close
Click OK in the Options dialog. The change is live immediately — no restart needed.
Optional: tune SECURELOAD
If you regularly load from one-off downloads, raise SECURELOAD to 2 (the safest). At SECURELOAD=2, AutoCAD will refuse any executable code not in Trusted Locations. SECURELOAD=1 prompts; SECURELOAD=0 silently allows anything (not recommended).
Frequently asked questions
Should I just turn off SECURELOAD?
No. SECURELOAD is a real defence against drive-by LISP/.NET. Add the specific folders you trust to Trusted Locations and leave SECURELOAD at 1 or 2.
Trusted Locations is greyed out for me.
A network policy is locking it. Talk to your IT admin — they may have group-policy control over AutoCAD security.
Can I trust a folder on a network share?
Yes, but use a UNC path (\\server\share\folder), not a mapped drive letter. Mapped drives don't always resolve identically across user sessions.
Does adding a folder also trust its subfolders?
Yes, when you tick 'Include subfolders' in the Add dialog. Without that, only the named folder is trusted.
Related guides
Three reliable ways to load .lsp, .fas, and .vlx files into AutoCAD, plus how to add them to the Startup Suite so you never reload again.
Load a C# / VB.NET plugin DLL into AutoCAD with NETLOAD, troubleshoot common load errors, and set up auto-load so you don't NETLOAD every session.