Automatically Loading Add-ins in Excel

Excel Guides

Automatically Loading Add-ins in Excel

April 5, 2023

Excel is a powerful tool that can be customized to meet the specific needs of its users. One way to customize Excel is by using add-ins. Add-ins are small programs that add new features or functionality to Excel. They can be used to automate tasks, add new chart types, or even create custom functions. However, manually loading add-ins every time you open Excel can be time-consuming. In this article, we will explore how to automatically load add-ins in Excel.

What are Add-ins?

Add-ins are small programs that extend the functionality of Excel. They can be created by Microsoft, third-party developers, or even by users themselves. Add-ins can be used to automate tasks, add new chart types, or even create custom functions. They are typically distributed as files with the extension .xlam or .xla.

Why Automatically Load Add-ins?

Manually loading add-ins every time you open Excel can be time-consuming. It can also be easy to forget to load an add-in that you need. By automatically loading add-ins, you can save time and ensure that the add-ins you need are always available.

How to Automatically Load Add-ins

There are several ways to automatically load add-ins in Excel. Here are three methods:

Method 1: Use the Add-ins Dialog Box

The easiest way to automatically load add-ins is to use the Add-ins dialog box. Here's how:

Click the File tab, and then click Options.
In the Excel Options dialog box, click Add-Ins.
In the Manage box, select Excel Add-ins, and then click Go.
In the Add-Ins dialog box, select the check box next to the add-in that you want to automatically load.
Click OK.

Now, every time you open Excel, the add-in will automatically load.

Method 2: Use a Macro

You can also use a macro to automatically load add-ins. Here's an example:

Private Sub Workbook_Open()

AddIns("MyAddIn.xlam").Installed = True

End Sub

This macro will automatically load the add-in named "MyAddIn.xlam" every time you open the workbook.

Method 3: Use the Registry

If you want to automatically load an add-in for all workbooks, you can use the registry. Here's how:

Open the Registry Editor by pressing Windows Key + R, typing "regedit" and pressing Enter.
Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Excel\Options (Note: The "16.0" may be different depending on your version of Excel).
Right-click in the right-hand pane and select New > String Value.
Name the new string value "OPEN" (without the quotes).
Double-click the "OPEN" string value and enter the full path to the add-in file, including the file name and extension (e.g. C:\MyAddIn.xlam).
Click OK.

Now, every time you open Excel, the add-in will automatically load.

Conclusion

Automatically loading add-ins in Excel can save time and ensure that the add-ins you need are always available. There are several ways to automatically load add-ins, including using the Add-ins dialog box, using a macro, or using the registry. Choose the method that works best for you and start automating your Excel tasks today!

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Excel Guides

Automatically Loading Add-ins in Excel

There are a few different ways to automatically load add-ins in Excel. One way is to use the LOAD command. This command will load an add-in every time Excel starts. Another way is to use the auto_open macro. This macro will automatically open an add-in when Excel starts. Finally, you can use the registration method to register an add-in so that it loads every time Excel starts.

To use the LOAD command, open the Excel Options dialog box and select the AddIns tab. In the Manage dropdown, select Excel AddIns and click Go. In the AddIns dialog box, check the box next to the addIn that you want to load and click OK.

To use the auto_open macro, open the Visual Basic Editor and insert the following code:

Sub auto_open()

   'Add your code here
   
End Sub

Replace 'Add your code here' with the name of your addIn (without the .xlam extension). Save your workbook as an .xlsm file and close the Visual Basic Editor.

To register an addIn so that it loads automatically when Excel starts, open the Registry Editor and go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Excel\Addins\. Create a new key under Addins for your addIn (without the .xlam extension). Set the Default value for this key to 1.

What are Add-ins?

Why Automatically Load Add-ins?

How to Automatically Load Add-ins

There are several ways to automatically load add-ins in Excel. Here are three methods:

Method 1: Use the Add-ins Dialog Box

The easiest way to automatically load add-ins is to use the Add-ins dialog box. Here's how:

Click the File tab, and then click Options.
In the Excel Options dialog box, click Add-Ins.
In the Manage box, select Excel Add-ins, and then click Go.
In the Add-Ins dialog box, select the check box next to the add-in that you want to automatically load.
Click OK.

Now, every time you open Excel, the add-in will automatically load.

Method 2: Use a Macro

You can also use a macro to automatically load add-ins. Here's an example:

Private Sub Workbook_Open()

AddIns("MyAddIn.xlam").Installed = True

End Sub

This macro will automatically load the add-in named "MyAddIn.xlam" every time you open the workbook.

Method 3: Use the Registry

If you want to automatically load an add-in for all workbooks, you can use the registry. Here's how:

Open the Registry Editor by pressing Windows Key + R, typing "regedit" and pressing Enter.
Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Excel\Options (Note: The "16.0" may be different depending on your version of Excel).
Right-click in the right-hand pane and select New > String Value.
Name the new string value "OPEN" (without the quotes).
Double-click the "OPEN" string value and enter the full path to the add-in file, including the file name and extension (e.g. C:\MyAddIn.xlam).
Click OK.

Now, every time you open Excel, the add-in will automatically load.