How to Enable and Disable Macros in Excel

First off, a macro is a series of commands or instructions stored in an Excel module. Macros can be run anytime you need to do tasks related to those instructions.

If you know how to make a macro in Excel, you would be able to save so much time and even minimize human errors.

The problem is, macros can be used for good and for evil. Macros can literally be used to delete files on your hard drive.

For that purpose, Excel, by default, will not run a macro-enabled worksheet.

If you trust the macro and you would like to use it, then you would have to manually enable it. You can even set up your Excel to always run macros for a trusted worksheet.

Before you start:

Throughout this guide, you need a data set to practice.

I’ve included one for you (for free).

Download it right below!

Note: Change the file extension to .xlsm which is a Microsoft Excel Macro-Enabled Worksheet. Currently, the file is in .xlsx which is the normal Microsoft Excel extension. We have to change the extension so you can download the file.

Enabling macros is easy.

There are two ways you can enable a macro in Excel and both are quite easy:

• Via the message bar
• Via the backstage view

Right after opening an Excel document with a macro, you will see a yellow message bar right below the Ribbon.

If you trust the source, just click ‘Enable Content’ on the message bar.

Another way to enable macros in Excel is from the Microsoft Office Backstage view (what you see when you click ‘File’ from the tab list).

Click ‘File’ from the tab list.

You’ll see a big ‘Security Warning’ right there.

Press the ‘Enable Content’ shield box and select ‘Enable All Content’.

Excel has a ‘Trust Center’ where you can change macro settings.

To access it, you can click the ‘Trust Center Settings’ under the ‘Security Warning’ on the backstage view.

If you’re opening a non-macro Excel file, you can access the ‘Trust Center’ by clicking ‘Options’ on the left-hand sidebar of the backstage view.

Then, click ‘Trust Center’ from the left sidebar and press the ‘Trust Center Settings’.

On the ‘Trust Center’ window, click ‘Macro Settings’ on the sidebar.

You’ll then see the different options of macro settings.

The options are as follows:

• Disable all macros without notification
• Disable all macros with notification
• Disable all macros except digitally signed macros
• Enable all macros (not recommended; potentially dangerous code can run)

Excel, by default, disables all macros with notification.

But if you would like to disable all macros and not get any notification about it, choose the first option — ‘Disable all macros without notification’ — under ‘Macro Settings’ in the ‘Trust Center’ (discussed above).

Excel macros can both be a blessing and a curse. That’s why you have to be careful with the macros you open.