How to Turn an Excel Macro Into an Add-in

How to turn an Excel macro into an add-in

To turn an Excel macro into an add-in, save the workbook holding it as Excel Add-in (*.xlam), then install that file through File > Options > Add-ins, choosing Excel Add-ins in the Manage box, clicking Go, then Browse. Once installed, it loads every time Excel starts.

This is the answer when a macro needs to reach other people. The Personal Macro Workbook makes a macro available everywhere on your own computer, and nowhere else. An add-in is a file you can hand to a colleague.

TL;DR: Key takeaways

• Save as Excel Add-in (*.xlam), then install with Browse in the Excel Add-ins dialog.
• Home > Add-ins is the Office Store, not where your .xlam goes.
• Add-in macros do not appear in the Alt + F8 list. Type the name, or give them a button.
• Colleagues install the same .xlam the same way.
• Use an add-in to share. Use the Personal Macro Workbook for yourself.

Excel has two different things called add-ins

This trips up almost everyone. The Add-ins button on the Home tab opens a store of web-based Office Add-ins built in HTML and JavaScript. Your .xlam is not one of those, and it will never appear there.

Microsoft's add-ins page covers both kinds side by side, which is why it reads confusingly. For a VBA add-in, the place that matters is File > Options > Add-ins, with Excel Add-ins chosen in the Manage box at the bottom.

Save your macro as an .xlam

1. Open the workbook containing the macro. Remove any sheets or data your colleagues should not receive.
2. Go to File > Save As and set the file type to Excel Add-in (*.xlam).
3. Give it a clear name and click Save.

Microsoft's file format reference describes .xlam as the macro-enabled add-in format, a "supplemental program that is designed to run additional code." It stores VBA the same way .xlsm does.

Check the folder before clicking Save. Excel keeps add-ins in a dedicated AddIns folder inside your user profile, and the Save As dialog often moves there when you pick the add-in type. Saving somewhere you will remember makes the next step easier.

Install it

The same steps work for you and for anyone you send the file to.

1. Go to File > Options > Add-ins.
2. At the bottom, set Manage to Excel Add-ins and click Go.
3. Click Browse, select the .xlam, and click OK.
4. Make sure its checkbox is ticked, then click OK.

If the file arrived by email or download, it may be blocked like any other macro file. Unblocking it in its Properties first saves a confusing failure.

To switch an add-in off later, return to the same dialog and clear its checkbox. Microsoft notes that deactivating does not remove the file from your computer.

Why your macro is not in the Alt + F8 list

After installing, most people press Alt + F8 and find nothing. That is expected. Macros inside an add-in are not listed in the Macros dialog.

A Microsoft MVP confirms it in Microsoft's own Q&A: the macro still runs if you type its exact name into the Macro name box and press Enter. In practice nobody wants to do that, so give each add-in macro a proper trigger instead.

A Quick Access Toolbar button or a keyboard shortcut both work, and running a macro from a button or shortcut covers setting them up. One catch: a toolbar button belongs to your copy of Excel, not to the add-in file, so each colleague adds their own.

Add-in or Personal Macro Workbook?

Both load at startup. The difference is who else can have it.

	Personal Macro Workbook	Add-in (.xlam)
Available in	Every workbook on your computer	Every workbook on each computer it is installed on
Share with colleagues	Not really	Send the file
Listed in Alt + F8	Yes	No
Best for	Your own shortcuts	Tools a team uses

If only you will ever run it, the Personal Macro Workbook is simpler. The moment a second person needs it, make an add-in.

Frequently asked questions

What is an .xlam file?

An Excel Add-in file. It holds VBA macros like an .xlsm, but instead of being opened as a workbook it is installed, after which Excel loads it hidden at startup and its macros become available in every workbook.

Why can't I see my add-in macro in the Macros list?

Macros stored in an add-in are not listed in the Alt + F8 dialog. Type the macro's exact name into the Macro name box and click Run, or better, assign it to a Quick Access Toolbar button or keyboard shortcut so it is one click away.

Why isn't my add-in under Home > Add-ins?

That button opens the Office Store for web-based add-ins, a different technology. VBA add-ins are managed under File > Options > Add-ins, with Excel Add-ins selected in the Manage box at the bottom of the page.

How do I share an Excel add-in with my team?

Send them the .xlam file and have each person install it through File > Options > Add-ins, then Manage Excel Add-ins, Go, and Browse. If it arrives by email, they should unblock it in the file's Properties before installing.

Do add-ins work in Excel for the web?

VBA add-ins do not, because Excel for the web cannot run VBA at all. Web-based Office Add-ins from the store do run in the browser, which is another reason the two kinds are worth keeping straight.

What to do next

Start with one macro your team already passes around as an .xlsm, save it as an add-in, and install it on your own machine first. When a macro still misbehaves, the macro troubleshooting guide matches symptoms to causes. For ready-made macros worth packaging this way, see the free tools library.