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To install an Excel add-in, first identify its type: a Store-discovered Office Add-in, a built-in Excel add-in, or a COM add-in. A Store add-in is usually added through Home > Add-ins; built-in and COM add-ins are managed through Excel’s Options dialog on Windows. The menus vary by platform and Excel version, so use the matching route below.
Which kind of Excel add-in are you installing?
“Excel add-in” can refer to extensions managed in different ways. An Office Add-in is discovered through the Add-ins interface or Store. A built-in Excel add-in, such as Solver, may already be available but need to be loaded. A COM add-in is a separate Windows-specific type, often supplied by an organization or software provider. Microsoft distinguishes these add-in types and their management flows in its Excel add-in management guidance and COM and Automation add-in overview.
| Type | Typical source | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Office Add-in | Office Add-ins interface or Store | Find the listing and choose the offered Add, Try, or Buy action. |
| Built-in Excel add-in | Included with Excel or available as a local add-in | Load or activate it in Excel’s add-in settings. |
| COM add-in | Installed or supplied by a provider or organization | Manage it in Windows Excel’s COM Add-ins settings; installation may require provider or administrator instructions. |
Install an Office Add-in in desktop Excel
On supported Windows desktop versions, Microsoft documents more than one way to open the Office Add-ins interface. The route may vary with the Excel release and ribbon layout.
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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →- Open Home > Add-ins, then choose More Add-ins. In supported versions, you can also use File > Options > Add-ins to open the Office Add-ins dialog. See Microsoft’s Office Add-in instructions for Excel.
- Browse the Store or search for the add-in by name.
- Open its listing and review the description and available privacy information or reviews. Confirm that the publisher is the one you expect and consider what permissions the add-in requests.
- Select the action shown: Add, Try, or Buy. You may be asked to sign in; a paid add-in may require completing a purchase.
- To open an add-in you have already added, select it from Home > Add-ins > My Add-ins.
Microsoft’s Windows-focused add-in management guide also documents browsing and adding items from the Home ribbon.
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Install an Office Add-in in Excel for the web
- Open the workbook in Excel for the web and select Home > Add-ins.
- Open the Store tab, then browse or search for the add-in.
- Open its listing, review the details, and choose Add or Buy, as offered. Sign in if prompted.
These are the browser-specific steps in Microsoft’s guide to viewing, managing, and installing Office add-ins. Do not use the Windows COM Add-ins path for Excel in a browser.
Load a built-in Excel add-in on Windows
Loading an add-in activates it in Excel; it is not necessarily a Store installation. For example, Solver may need to be loaded before its commands appear. Microsoft’s Solver instructions describe this process.
- 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 on Windows
COM add-ins are distinct from Office Add-ins in the Store. Microsoft notes that people who are not developers should contact the administrator or provider who supplied a COM add-in for installation or removal instructions.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches- Select File > Options > Add-ins.
- In Manage, choose COM Add-ins, then select Go.
- Select the listed add-in and confirm.
These steps manage an available COM add-in; they do not explain how to install every provider’s software. For the distinction between COM and Automation add-ins, see Microsoft’s COM and Automation add-in overview.
What to do on a Mac or mobile device
Do not assume that Windows instructions apply to Excel for Mac. Microsoft’s add-in management article includes platform-specific material for Windows and macOS, as well as separate Excel, COM, and Automation flows. Use the steps and options shown for your Excel platform and add-in type. The Windows COM route described above is not a general Mac procedure. For Excel on mobile, the cited installation instructions do not establish a universal add-in installation path.
Remove or deactivate an add-in
Turning off an add-in and removing it are not always the same action. Clearing a checkbox in Excel’s add-in settings can deactivate an add-in without uninstalling it.
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- Remove an Office Add-in: Open Home > Add-ins > More Add-ins > My Add-ins, locate the item, and use the available removal option. If the list appears out of date, refresh it. Microsoft documents the Office Add-in removal flow in its Excel Add-in instructions.
- Deactivate an Excel or COM add-in: Return to File > Options > Add-ins, choose the relevant type in Manage, select Go, and clear its checkbox. For COM software removal, follow the supplying provider’s or administrator’s directions.
Why isn’t the add-in showing up?
- You are looking in the wrong place: Store-discovered Office Add-ins use the Add-ins interface, while built-in Excel and COM add-ins use separate management lists.
- The add-in is added but not open: For an Office Add-in, look under Home > Add-ins > My Add-ins and select it. For a built-in add-in, check whether it is activated in its relevant settings.
- The add-in is missing from a settings list: For an Excel Add-in on Windows, use Browse in the Excel Add-ins dialog to locate a local add-in. For COM software, ask the provider or administrator who supplied it.
- Your organization restricts it: Availability and security settings can be controlled by workplace policy. Contact IT rather than trying to bypass a restriction.
- You are using a different Excel platform or release: Menu labels and available options can vary by version, license, region, platform, and organization policy. Use the platform-specific Microsoft instructions linked above.
Check permissions before allowing an add-in
Add-ins can create security risks, so verify the publisher and understand the access requested before adding one. Microsoft notes that in Office on the web and new Outlook, an add-in requesting camera, microphone, or location access may offer options to allow access, allow it once, or deny it. Organization policy can also affect which add-ins are available. See Microsoft’s add-in permissions and management guidance.
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