Excel spreadsheet users are highly familiar with macros and how to utilize them. People frequently use Macros in Excel to prevent repeating activities. Enabling macros simplifies your job by automating repetitive processes. From a security standpoint, it is riskier owing to program corruption and system harm. There are several ways to enable macros in Excel. By default, macros are deactivated in Microsoft Excel, but you can enable them as needed. Macros are not required for routine use. If you need it for a certain worksheet, you can enable the macros using any of the following ways.

Activate Macros in Excel Vis Security Warning Bar

• When you open the workbook with the default macro settings, a warning bar will appear beneath the ribbon.
• Next, click the Enable Content, a pop-up box requesting your trust for this document opens.
• Select Yes from the pop-up menu.
• The macros will be enabled for the current file.

Activate Macros in Excel Via Backstage view

• To enable the macros, open the Excel file that you wish to enable macros for.
• Select File and then Hover over Info.
• After that, select Enable Content > Enable All Content under the Security Warning section.
• Following this, the macros will be activated and your file will become a trusted document.

Activate Macros for One Session – Temporarily

If you only want to allow the macros for one session or do not want to mark the file as a trusted document, you can use this method. This activation is valid for the current session. When you close the workbook, the macros are deactivated.

• Click the File tab, and then hit Info button.
• In the Security Warning section, choose Enable Content > Advanced Options.
• The Microsoft Office Security Options dialog box will appear.
• Select “Enable content for this session” and click OK.

Activate Macros for All Excel Workbooks

This method allows you to enable and activate macros for all Excel files.

• Click the File tab and then Options.
• From the left pane, choose Trust Center, and then click Trust Center Settings.
• In the Trust Center dialog box, select Macro Settings, Enable all macros, and then click OK.

Deactivate or Disable Macros in Excel

Although there are various ways to enable macros in Excel workbooks, you need also know how to disable them in order to guard against program damage or corruption.

• Open Excel, then select the File tab. Proceed to the Options section after that.
• Hover over the Trust Center in the left pane, then select Trust Center Settings.
• Then, choose Disable all macros without notification under Macro Settings.
• After that, click OK to finish.

How to Unblock a Macro Workbook in Excel

In order to unlock a macro that Microsoft has blocked, follow these steps:

• Close the worksheet with the blocked macro.
• Navigate to the workbook’s saved location in File Explorer.
• Right-click the file, then pick Properties from the context menu.
• In the Properties dialog box, select the Unblock option and then click OK.

Enable Macros Permanently in a Trusted Location

Rather than tinkering with the global macro settings, you can tell Excel to trust certain locations on your local network or machine. Even if the Trust Center’s Disable all macros without notification option is checked, any Excel file saved in a trusted place will open with macros enabled and without any security alerts. When all other Excel macros are disabled, this enables you to run macros in specific workbooks!

Follow these procedures to see the trustworthy places that are currently listed or add a new one:

• Click File > Options.
• Next, select Trust Center from the left-hand window, then click Trust Center Settings.
• Now, select Trusted Locations from the Trust Center dialog box’s left side. You’ll see a list of default trusted locations. These locations are critical for the proper functioning of Excel add-ins, macros, and templates and should not be modified. Technically, you can save your workbook in one of Excel’s default locations, but it is preferable to build your own.
• To create a trusted location, select Add new location.
• Perform the following actions in the Microsoft Office Trusted Locations dialog box:
  • Click the Browse button to find the folder you wish to declare a trusted location.
  • If you want any subfolder of the selected folder to be trusted, click the box labeled Subfolders of this location are also trusted.
  • Type a brief remark in the Description field or leave it blank.
  • Finally, click OK.
• To close the remaining dialog boxes, click OK twice.

Completed! Now that your workbook containing macros is at a trusted location, you can disregard Excel’s security settings.

Activate Macros in Excel on Mac

• Open the Excel application in order to enable Excel macros on your Mac.
• Go to Excel > Preferences > Security & Privacy.
• Then select the “Enable All Macros (Not Recommended; Potentially Dangerous Code Can Run)” option.

Excel Macro Settings

To assist you in making an informed selection, we will quickly describe each macro setting in the Trust Center below:

Disable all macros without notification – all macros are disabled, and no warning will appear. You will be unable to run any macros other than those stored in trusted locations.

Disable all macros with notification (default) – macros are deactivated by default, but they can be enabled on an individual basis.

Enable all macros (not advised) – This allows all macros to run, including possibly dangerous code.

Disable all macros except digitally signed macros – unsigned macros are disabled via notifications. Macros signed with a specific certificate by a trusted publisher are permitted to run. If you have not already trusted the publisher, Excel will remind you to do so before enabling the macro.

When modifying the Trust Center settings, keep in mind that they only apply to Excel and not to other Office apps.

That’s how you activate/enable Macros in Excel to prevent repeating activities. We hope you find the information to enable Macros in Excel useful.

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