Excel turn on macros

A macro is a series of commands used to automate a repeated task and can be run when you have to perform the task. Macros can automate frequently used tasks to save time on keystrokes and mouse actions.

However, some macros can pose a security risk. Macros are often used by people with malicious intent to quietly install malware, such as a virus, on your computer or into your organization’s network.

Warning: Never enable macros in a Microsoft 365 file unless you’re sure what those macros do. Unexpected macros can pose a significant security risk. You don’t have to enable macros to see or edit the file; only if you want the functionality provided by the macro. For more information see Protect yourself from macro viruses.

Change macro settings in the Trust Center

Macro settings are located in the Trust Center. However, if your device is managed by your work or school the system administrator might prevent anyone from changing settings.

Important: When you change your macro settings in the Trust Center, they are changed only for the Microsoft 365 program that you are currently using. The macro settings are not changed for all your Microsoft 365 programs.

1. Click the File tab.

2. Click Options.

3. Click Trust Center, and then click Trust Center Settings.

4. In the Trust Center, click Macro Settings.

   

5. Make the selections that you want, then click OK.

Note: The options are slightly different in Excel, we’ll call those out as we go.

• Disable all macros without notification     Macros and security alerts about macros are disabled.

  In Excel this option is Disable VBA macros without notification and it only applies to VBA macros.

• Disable all macros with notification     Macros are disabled, but security alerts appear if there are macros present. Enable macros on a case-by-case basis.

  In Excel this option is Disable VBA macros with notification and it only applies to VBA macros.

• Disable all macros except digitally signed macros     Macros are disabled, and security alerts appear if there are unsigned macros present. However, if the macro is digitally signed by a trusted publisher, the macro just runs. If the macro is signed by a publisher you haven’t trusted yet, you are given the opportunity to enable the signed macro and trust the publisher.

  In Excel this option is Disable VBA macros except digitally signed macros and it only applies to VBA macros.

• Enable all macros (not recommended, potentially dangerous code can run)     All macros run without confirmation. This setting makes your computer vulnerable to malicious code.

  In Excel this option is Enable VBA macros (not recommended, potentially dangerous code can run) and it only applies to VBA macros.

• Excel also has a checkbox for Enable Excel 4.0 macros when VBA macros are enabled. If you select this checkbox all of the above settings for VBA macros will also apply to Excel 4.0 (XLM) macros.

  If this checkbox is not selected XLM macros are disabled without notification.

• Trust access to the VBA project object model     Disallow or allow programmatic access to the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) object model from an automation client. This security option is for code written to automate a Microsoft 365 program and manipulate the VBA environment and object model. It is a per-user and per-application setting, and denies access by default, hindering unauthorized programs from building harmful self-replicating code. For automation clients to access the VBA object model, the user running the code must grant access. To turn on access, select the check box.

  Note: Microsoft Publisher and Microsoft Access have no Trust access to the VBA project model object option.

For info on creating macros please see Quick start: Create a macro.

For info on using macros on a machine running Windows S see Block suspicious macros in Office on Windows 10 S.

See Also

Change macro security settings in Excel

How malware can infect your PC

A macro is a set of commands that you can use to automate a repetitive task and run whenever you need to. This article discusses the risks associated with working with macros, as well as how to enable or disable macros in the Trust Center. Using macros in Excel reduces human error and saves time by automating repetitive tasks.

Macro security in Excel

Before you enable macros in your worksheets, you should understand how dangerous they can be.

Though VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) codes are extremely effective at automating complex and repetitive tasks, they pose a significant security risk. Unintentionally running a malicious macro can damage or completely delete files on your hard drive, corrupt your data, and even corrupt your Microsoft Office installation. As a result, the default setting in Excel is to disable all macros with notification.

How can these dangers be avoided? Simply follow one simple rule: enable only safe macros – those you’ve written or recorded yourself, macros from reliable sources, and VBA codes you’ve thoroughly reviewed and comprehended.

How to Enable macros for individual workbooks?

Macros can be enabled for a specific file in two ways: directly from the workbook and via the Backstage view.

1. Enable macros directly via security notice:

When you first open a workbook containing macros with the default macro settings, the yellow security warning bar appears at the top of the sheet, right under the ribbon:

The Microsoft Excel Security Notice will be displayed if the Visual Basic Editor is open at the time you open the file with macros:

If you are confident in the file’s origin and that all macros are safe, click the Enable Content or Enable Macros button. This activates the macros and marks the file as a trusted document. 

2. Turn on macros in Backstage view:

The Office Backstage view is another way to enable macros for a specific workbook. Here’s how to do it:

• Click the File tab, then Info from the left menu.
• Click Enable Content > Enable All Content, in the Security Warning area.

Your workbook, like the previous method, will become a trusted document.

How to Enable macros for one session?

In some cases, enabling macros for a single instance makes sense. For example, suppose you received an Excel file containing VBA code that you want to investigate but do not want to make it a trusted document.

The steps below will walk you through the process of enabling macros for the duration of the file’s open state:

1. Navigate to the File tab > Info.
2. Click Enable Content > Advanced Options in the Security Warning area.
3. Select Enable content for this session in the Microsoft Office Security Options dialogue box, then click OK.

This enables macros for a single-use. The warning will reappear if you close and then reopen the workbook.

How to Enable macros in all workbooks through the Trust Center?

Microsoft Excel decides whether to allow or disallow VBA code execution based on the macro setting selected in the Trust Center, which is where you configure all of Excel’s security settings.

To enable macros by default in all Excel workbooks, follow these steps:

• Navigate to the File tab and then to Options.
• Select Trust Center from the left-hand pane and then click on Trust center setting.

• In the Trust Center dialog box, click Macro Settings on the left, select Enable all macros and click OK.

Notes: The option you select in the Trust Center becomes the new default macro setting for all of your Excel files. Instead, if you only want to enable macros for specific workbooks, save them in a trusted location.

How to Enable macros permanently in a trusted location?

Rather than tampering with the global macro settings, you can instruct Excel to trust specific locations on your computer or local network.

Follow these steps to view the current trusted locations or to add a new one:

• Navigate to File > Options.
• Select Trust Center from the left-hand pane, and then click Trust Center Settings.
• On the left side of the Trust Center dialogue box, select Trusted Locations. You will be presented with a list of the default trusted locations. These locations are critical for the proper operation of Excel add-ins, macros, and templates and should not be altered. Technically, you can save your workbook to one of Excel’s default locations, but it’s preferable to create your own.
• Click Add a new location to set up your trusted location.

• Do the following in the Microsoft Office Trusted Locations dialogue box:
  • Navigate to the folder you want to make a trusted location by clicking the Browse button.
  • Check the Subfolders of this location are also trusted box if you want any subfolder of the selected folder to be trusted as well.
  • Fill in the Description field with a brief message (this can help you manage multiple locations) or leave it blank.
  • Click the OK button.

Completed! You can now save your workbook with macros in a trusted location without worrying about Excel’s security settings.

How to Enable macros programmatically with VBA? 

Many people ask on Excel forums if it is possible to enable macros programmatically when opening a workbook and disable them before exiting. “No, it’s not possible,” is the immediate response. Because macro security is critical for Excel’s security, Microsoft designed any VBA code to be activated only by a user click.

When Microsoft closes a door, the user opens another 🙂 As a workaround, someone suggested using a “splash screen” or “instruction sheet” to force the user to enable macros. The fundamental concept is as follows:

You write code that generates all the worksheets except one, which is tucked away. The visible sheet (splash screen) states something like “Please enable macros and re-open the file” or provides more specific instructions.

When macros are disabled, the user can only see the “Splash Screen” worksheet; all other sheets are hidden. When macros are enabled, the code unhides all the sheets before re-hiding them completely when the workbook is closed.

How to Disable macros in Excel?

As previously stated, Excel’s default setting disables macros with a notification and allows users to enable them manually if desired. If you want to disable all macros silently, without receiving any notifications, go to the Trust Center and select the corresponding option (the first one).

1. Click the File tab > Options in Excel.
2. Select Trust Center from the left-hand pane, and then click Trust Center Settings.
3. Select Macro Settings from the left menu, then Disable all macros without notification and click OK.

Macros can be defined as a set of instructions that can be used to perform some specific tasks in Microsoft Office applications. The availability of macros is very helpful for the users as they can create user defined programs and functions specifically designed to perform their tasks.

Although macros are so useful, but if misused they can play a havoc with your data or even with your computer. If unknowingly you run some malicious macro, then it could corrupt your Microsoft Office installation or give you other sorts of problems. And because of this reason Microsoft has disabled external (or un-trusted) macros by default.

Today in this post I will let you know how to enable macros in excel:

Enabling Macros in Excel 2000 and 2003:                

• First of all navigate to ‘Tools’ tab > ‘Macro’ > ‘Security’.
• After clicking on the ‘Security’ option, a Security window will open. It will show you all the security levels that you can select for your macros.

• My suggestion would be, never choose ‘Low Security’. ‘Medium Security’ is better as it will ask your permission each time before running a macro.

Enable Macros in Excel 2007:

• With an excel file opened click on the ‘Office’ button.
• Then click on ‘Excel Options’ (present at the bottom).
• Next select the ‘Trust Center’ > ‘Trust Center Settings’.

• In the trust centre settings click on the ‘Macro Settings’ .And from there you can choose the security level for running macros.

Enabling Macros in Excel 2010 and 2013:

• Open a Microsoft Excel file, and navigate to ‘File’ > ‘Options’ > ‘Trust Center’. And then click ‘Trust Center Settings’.

• In the Trust Center Settings window select the ‘Macro Settings’ option. And choose the security setting that you want to be applicable on macro execution.

Detailed Explanation of Macro Settings (For Excel 2007, 2010 and 2013):                                                    

The various security options in Microsoft excel 2007, 2010 and 2013 are not very clear. So, here I will explain these options in detail:

1. Disable all macros without notification: If you select this option then it will block all the macros and won’t give you any notifications about it.

2. Disable all macros with notification: In this settings the macros are disabled but still each time when you open an excel sheet with a macro it will ask you if you want to run the macro or not.

3. Disable all macros except digitally signed macros: This is same as the second option except the difference that it automatically allows the macros that are signed by trusted publishers.

4. Enable all macros (not recommended, potentially dangerous code can run): This setting will allow all the macros to run without prompting you. Generally you should avoid using this option.

How to Run a Macro Even if Running Macros is disabled:

You can run macros even if your security settings are not allowing you to do so. This method will only work in Excel 2007 and later versions. Microsoft Excel treats certain locations as trusted zones. This means if you store your excel files (obviously I am talking about macro enabled ones) on these trusted locations and then try to run macros. Excel will omit all the macro checks and will run the macro.

By default these trusted Locations are:

1. Program FilesMicrosoft OfficeTemplates
2. Program FilesMicrosoft OfficeOffice12Startup
3. Program FilesMicrosoft OfficeOffice12Library
4. Program FilesMicrosoft OfficeOffice12XLSTART

You can also add any location on your computer to trusted zone. To do so simply follow below steps:

• In Excel navigate to ‘File’ > ‘Options’ > ‘Trust Center’> ‘Trust Center Settings’ > ‘Trusted Locations’.

• Next, using the ‘Add New Location’ button you can add any location to the Trusted Locations.

Note: Before adding any location to trusted location list make sure the location is really a safe location. Because these locations can act as loopholes in your security setting and any hacker can easily take advantage of such loopholes.

So, this was all about how to enable macros in Excel.

Macros in Excel are a game-changer if you have to deal with repetitive tasks.

Macros allow you to automate many time-consuming tasks and also create some functions and functionalities that are not already built-in in Excel.

As a part of the security measure, if you receive a file that has a macro, Excel will disable it by default and you will have to manually enable the macros in the file so that they can be used.

In this tutorial, I will show you how to enable macros in Excel and all the important things that you need to know about it.

So let’s get started!

Before Enabling Macros – A Word of Caution!

Macros are amazing, they are a huge time saver, but they can also be dangerous (not always, but sometimes).

If you get a file from someone or you download it from the web, you shouldn’t just go ahead and enable macros on these files. There is a possibility that there could be malware or a damaging macro in the workbook.

To give you an example, it’s possible for anyone to create a macro that, if enabled, can add malware in your system, or delete some files/folders that are important for you.

To avoid any issue that can be caused because of a macro, Excel has a default setting to keep macros disabled.

As the user, the onus is on you to make sure that there is nothing wrong with the file that you’re trying to open.

So every time you try to open a file that has a macro (no matter how big or small), Excel will show you a warning (a yellow bar) and you will have to enable the macros yourself.

So even if you find it irritating and a waste of time to enable macros always, this is a necessary evil.

Now, let me show you some methods you can use to enable macros in Excel.

You can choose to enable the macro for one-time use only, permanently enable all macros in a specific file, or specify a trusted location and all the files in that folder would have the macros enabled by default.

Let’s get into each of these scenarios now.

Enable All Macros in a Specific File (Permanently)

If you have got a file from a trusted source and you want to enable all the macros in the file, you can do this using two methods.

Both of these methods will enable the macros permanently for the given file, which means that the next time you open it, you be asked to enable the macros again.

Using the Yellow Security Warning Bar

As soon as you open a file that has a macro, you would see a yellow warning bar as shown below.

If you’re sure that the file is safe and the macros in it can be run, all you have to do is click the ‘Enable Content’ button.

As soon as you do this, the yellow security warning bar goes away and macros are enabled on this file.

What also happens in the backend is that this file is now marked as a trusted document by MS Excel, and the next time you open this file, you won’t see the yellow security warning bar.

You can also choose to close the yellow warning bar by clicking on the x in the right-most part of the bar.

When you click the close icon, the macros remain disabled.

In case you take any action that needs a macro to run (such as clicking a button that runs a macro or making a change that triggers a macro), you will see a warning as shown below:

Using the Backstage Options

There is another way in the backstage area that you can use to enable macros in a specific Excel workbook.

Below is how to do this:

1. Open the Excel file for which you want to enable macros
2. Click the File tab

1. Click on the Info option

1. In the Security Warning section, click on Enable content
2. Click on ‘Enable Content’ option that shows up

This will also mark the file as a trusted document and enable all macros in the file. Also, the next time you open this file, it won’t ask you to enable macros again.

Enable Macros in a Workbook for One Time Use (Temporarily)

Excel also allows you to enable macros for one session only, so that the next time you or anyone else opens the file, they would again be asked to enable macros again.

This can be quite useful if you have files in a network drive and many people have access to it.

Below are the steps to enable macros for one session only:

1. Open the Excel file for which you want to enable macros
2. Click the File tab
3. Click on the Info option
4. In the Security Warning section, click on Enable content
5. Click on Advanced Options. This will open the ‘Microsoft Office Security Options’ dialog box

1. Select the ‘Enable content for this session’ option
2. Click OK

The above steps enable the macros for the current session, and as soon as the file is closed, the macros are disabled again.

Enable All Macros in All the Excel Files

There is also an option that will enable all the macros in all the files in your system. This means that the next time you open any file that has macros, these would be enabled by default.

While you can do this, I (and the Microsoft Excel team) strongly suggest you don’t do this, unless you’re absolutely sure that the Excel files you have (or may get in the future) will be safe.

In case you feel it’s safe to enable all macros in all the Excel files, below are the steps to do this:

1. Open any Excel document (or a new Excel document)
2. Click the File tab

1. Click on Options

1. In the ‘Excel Options’ dialog box, click on Trust Center

1. Click on the Trust Center Settings button. This will open the Trust Center dialog box

1. Click on the Macros Settings option in the left pane

1. Click on the option – ‘Enable VBA macros’

1. Click Ok

Once done, the above steps would enable all macros in all the files. This means that you won’t see any warning when you open any Excel file that contains macros (which can be unsafe and dangerous).

Again, if you know what you’re doing and you’re sure the files you work with are safe, you can use this option.

Let me also quickly explain the other option that is available to you (that you see in step#7)

• Disable VBA macros without notification: When this option is selected, all the macros are disabled by default, and you won’t see any warning or prompt to enable macros. You will still be able to use macros that are in the trust documents
• Disable VBA macros with notification: This is the default option, where the macros are disabled, but you still see a prompt when you open a file (which is not a trusted document) that contains a macro. You can enable these macros as shown in the methods above
• Disable VBA macros except digitally signed macros: Just like you can make an Excel file a trusted document, you can also add trusted publishers. When this option is selected, it will only allow macros that have been signed by a trusted publisher.
• Enable VBA macros: This enables all macros in all the Excel files

Enable Macros in Files in a Specific Location/Folder

Excel allows you to specify trusted locations. Excel files stored in a trusted location will automatically have the macros enabled and you won’t see the warning that you usually see.

Even if you have disabled all macros as the global setting, the ones in the files in the trusted location would still work.

This can be quite useful when you don’t want the macros to work in any file, except the ones that are stored in a trusted folder/location.

For example, if you have some templates or dashboard that you use often and it contains macros, then you can continue to use these uninterrupted, while the macros in all the other files would be disabled and would need to be enabled on a case by case basis.

Below are the steps to see the current trusted locations and add a new one:

1. Open any Excel document (or a new Excel document)
2. Click the File tab
3. Click on Options
4. In the ‘Excel Options’ dialog box, click on Trust Center

1. Click on the Trust Center Settings button.

1. Click on the ‘Trusted Locations’ option in the left pane. This will show you all the locations that are already marked as trusted locations

1. To add a new trusted location, click on the ‘Add new location’ button

1. In the Microsoft Office Trusted Location dialog box that opens, enter the path of the folder (you can also use the browse option to locate it)

1. [Optional] If you also want the subfolders in the specified folder path to be marked as trusted folder, check the ‘Subfolders of this location are also trusted option’

1. Click OK

The above steps would make the specified folder a trusted location. In case you want to delete or modify any of the existing trusted locations, you can do that as well.

Clear All Trusted Documents

As I mentioned earlier, when you enable macros in a workbook in Excel, in the back end it is marked as a trusted document.

This means that the next time you open this file, you will not see the security warning and the macros would be enabled by default.

Unfortunately, as of now, there is no way for you to remove an Excel file as a trusted document (i.e., mark it as an un-trusted document).

However, there is an option where you can remove all the trusted documents in one go.

Below are the steps to do this:

1. Open any Excel document (or a new Excel document)
2. Click the File tab
3. Click on Options
4. In the ‘Excel Options’ dialog box, click on Trust Center
5. Click on the Trust Center Settings button. This will open the Trust Center dialog box
6. Click on the ‘Trusted Documents’ option in the left pane.

1. Click on the Clear Button

The above steps would clear the trusted document, and now any file that you open that contains macro would show you the security warning.

In case you do not want any excel file to be marked as a trusted document when you enable macros in it, click on the ‘Disable Trusted Documents’ option after Step#7. When this option is enabled, anytime you enable macros for an Excel file, it would be for that session only, and you would again see the security warning the next time you open the same file.

Note that this will not affect the documents that are saved in the trusted locations. Those Excel files Would continue to open with macros enabled in them.

There are some folders that are marked as trusted locations by Excel, and all the files in these folders would have the macros enabled by default. For example, the XLSTART folder or the Templates folder are already marked as trusted locations. Similarly, if you create a Personal Macro Workbook that contains macro codes, it will be stored as in the XLSTART folder and you would always be able to use macros in the Personal Macro Workbook, even when you have disabled the macros in the Excel files

So, these are all the methods that you can use to enable macros in Excel.

Having a good understanding of all the settings would make sure that your work is safe and you don’t accidentally end up opening files and macros that can harm your work/system.

And to reiterate again, Microsoft had good reasons to keep all the macros disabled by default, and I strongly recommend you keep that setting intact and only enable macros in Excel documents that you know for sure are safe.

I hope you found this tutorial useful!

Other Excel tutorials you may also like:

• How to Remove Macros From an Excel Workbook
• How to Assign a Macro to a Button in Excel (Easy Guide)
• How to Record a Macro in Excel
• 24 Useful Excel Macro Examples for VBA Beginners (Ready-to-use)
• How to Run a Macro in Excel
• How to Automatically Open Specific Excel File on Startup
• How to Recover Unsaved Excel Files [All Options + Precautions]