How you install an Excel add-in depends on what kind it is: a Store-discovered Office Add-in, a built-in Excel add-in, or a Windows COM add-in. For most Store add-ins, open Home > Add-ins, find the item, review its listing, and choose the action shown. Built-in and COM add-ins use different menus.
First, identify the add-in type
“Excel add-in” can describe several kinds of extensions, and the installation route depends on which one you have. Microsoft calls extensions found through the Office Add-ins interface “Office Add-ins.” Built-in Excel add-ins, such as Solver, are loaded through Excel’s options. COM add-ins have a separate Windows-only management route. Microsoft’s add-in management guide and its COM and Automation add-in overview explain these distinctions.
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| Type | Where it comes from | Typical action |
|---|---|---|
| Office Add-in | Office Add-ins Store or an available listing | Add, try, or buy it, then activate it from My Add-ins |
| Built-in Excel add-in | Included with Excel or available as a local file | Load or activate it in Excel’s options |
| COM add-in | Installed or provided separately, often by an organization or software provider | Select it in the COM Add-ins manager; follow the provider’s installation instructions if it is not available |
Install an Office Add-in from Excel
These steps apply to supported desktop versions of Excel. The precise menu wording can vary by release, license, and organization settings. Microsoft documents the Office Add-ins dialog and the Add, Try, and Buy options in its guide to getting an Office Add-in for Excel.
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- In Excel, select Home > Add-ins > More Add-ins. In supported Windows versions, you can also open File > Options > Add-ins and open the Office Add-ins dialog.
- Browse the Store or search for the add-in by name. Open its listing and review the description and any available publisher, privacy, or review information.
- Select the available action: Add, Try, or Buy. A paid listing may require you to sign in and complete a purchase.
- To use an add-in you have already added, open Home > Add-ins > My Add-ins and select it. You may be asked to sign in.
Install an Office Add-in in Excel for the web
In Excel for the web, use its own Add-ins menu rather than assuming the desktop options path applies. Microsoft’s web and Office add-ins instructions describe this route.
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- Open the workbook in Excel for the web and select Home > Add-ins.
- Open the Store tab, browse or search, then select the add-in to view its listing.
- Choose Add or Buy, as offered. Sign in if prompted.
Enable a built-in Excel add-in in Windows
Loading a built-in add-in is an activation step; it is not necessarily a Store installation. For example, Solver may need to be loaded before its commands appear. Microsoft’s Solver instructions provide the specific example.
- Select File > Options > Add-ins.
- In the Manage box, choose Excel Add-ins, then select Go.
- Check the add-in you want and confirm. If it is not listed, choose Browse to locate it; Excel may prompt you to install it.
Enable a COM add-in in Windows
COM add-ins are distinct from Office Add-ins and built-in Excel add-ins. To enable one already available to Excel, Microsoft documents this Windows path: File > Options > Add-ins.
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- Open File > Options > Add-ins.
- In Manage, choose COM Add-ins, then select Go.
- Select the available COM add-in and confirm.
If the COM add-in is not available, Microsoft advises non-developers to contact the administrator or provider that supplied it for installation or removal instructions. Do not use the COM steps for Mac or Excel for the web.
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What to do if an add-in is missing or blocked
- It is not listed: Check that you are in the correct manager for its type. For a built-in Excel add-in in Windows, use Manage > Excel Add-ins > Go and try Browse if the file is local. For an Office Add-in, look in My Add-ins or the Store.
- It is in My Add-ins but not active: Select it there to activate it. If it still does not appear, verify that you are signed in to the relevant account and that your Excel version supports it.
- Your organization prevents installation: Availability and security settings may be controlled by workplace policy. Contact your IT administrator rather than trying to bypass the restriction.
- It requests sensitive access: Check who published it and consider why it needs the requested permissions. Microsoft warns that add-ins can pose security risks. In Office on the web and new Outlook, an add-in requesting camera, microphone, or location access may ask you to allow access, allow it once, or deny it.
Remove an add-in or turn it off
Turning off an add-in and removing it are not always the same action. Clearing a checkbox in an add-in manager can deactivate the add-in without uninstalling it. For an Office Add-in, open Home > Add-ins > More Add-ins > My Add-ins, then use the removal option for that listing. If the list does not update, refresh it. The exact removal controls depend on the add-in type and Excel platform.
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Microsoft’s documented menu paths and availability vary by Excel release, platform, license, region, and organization policy. The Windows COM route above should not be treated as a Mac or web instruction; use the platform-specific guidance in Microsoft’s Excel add-in management article for those versions.
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