How To Enable Macros In Excel – Macros in Excel are like intelligent helpers that automate repetitive tasks. It allows you to record an arrangement of actions and play it back whenever needed. In this article, we define macros, provide step-by-step guides for enabling them in Excel across three common scenarios, and discuss whether macros are safe to use.
What is a Macro?
A macro is a set of instructions or programs you can enable to automate a repetitive task. Users commonly implement macros in spreadsheet applications, such as Microsoft Excel, to save time and effort, particularly regarding keystrokes and mouse actions. Many software developers create macros using the programming language Visual Basic for Applications to help business professionals use Excel efficiently.
How to Enable Macros in Excel?
You might want to enable a macro once during a particular Excel session. This way, the security settings reset to the default when you exit the session. Follow these four steps to enable macros for an individual session:
1. Open your Excel file
After clicking the Excel icon on your computer to open the application, select and open the file with the macro you want to operate. Upon opening, Excel shows you a yellow security warning telling you the application has disabled macros.
2. Find and click the “Info” tab.
You can find the “File” option in the top-left corner of your application. Click it and then select the “Info” option.
3. Enable the macro content.
In the “Security Warning” section, click “Enable Content” to see a drop-down window. Select “Advanced Options” in the drop-down menu, click “Enable content for this session” and then click “OK” to approve the action.
4. Check your next session.
After you’ve taken the above steps, Excel turns off the macros when you close the application. During your next session, ensure the application shows you the warning message in the yellow box.
How to Enable Macros in Excel Permanently?
If you plan to work with macros regularly, enabling them permanently may be the preferable option. Consider this decision since it comes with a risk, and Excel alerts you. If you work in an organization, the system administrator may have changed the default macro settings to prevent employees from changing settings. If so, talk to your system administrator, IT department, or supervisor to form a solution. When you’re ready to apply the settings, follow these six steps to enable macros in Excel permanently:
1. Open your Excel file.
Click on your Excel application to open the correct file with the macro. One way to ensure you’re opening the correct file is to see whether it has a yellow security message expressing that “Macros have been disabled.”
2. Find the Trust Center.
The Trust Center, a feature in Microsoft Excel, is a place to adjust security and privacy settings for Microsoft Office programs. You can find it by clicking “File,” then “Options,” and then “Trust Center” on the navigation panel on the left-hand side.
3. Navigate to “Macro Settings.”
Upon opening the Trust Center, you can see settings to keep your documents safe and maintain the security of your data. To find “Macro Settings,” click the “Trust Center Settings” option and then the “Macro Settings” option.
4. Enable all macros.
In the Macro Settings, you can click “Enable all macros” and “OK” to enable all macros.
5. Learn how to turn off macros in the future.
Selecting “Enable all macros” enables macros permanently in your Excel files. If you find you want to disable them again, return to the Trust Center and select “Disable all macros with notifications.”
6. Consider a quicker way.
Another way to enable macros quickly involves the yellow “Security Warning” message bar that pops up when you open your Excel file. This box has a button entitled “Enable Content,” which you can press to permanently enable macros on the sheet by making your document a trusted document.
What are Some Common Uses of Excel Macros?
Excel macros can be handy for automating tasks and improving efficiency. Here are some common scenarios where macros come in handy:
Repetitive Data Manipulation:
- Macros help automate tasks like data cleaning, formatting, and reorganizing.
For example, you can create a macro to remove duplicates, apply consistent formatting, or rearrange columns.
Complex Calculations and Analysis:
- Macros allow you to perform intricate calculations on large datasets.
- You can create custom functions, automate complex formulas, and analyze data more efficiently.
Custom Reports and Dashboards:
- Macros can generate customized reports or dashboards based on specific criteria.
For example, you can create a macro summarizing sales data by region or product category.
Formatting Changes:
- Macros help apply consistent formatting across multiple sheets or workbooks.
- You can automate font styles, cell colors, borders, and alignment.
Creating Charts and Graphs:
- Macros can generate charts dynamically based on changing data.
For example, you can create a macro that updates a sales chart whenever new data is added.
How to Change Macro Settings in Excel?
Along with temporarily or permanently enabling macros, you can adjust your Excel application’s macro settings. Follow these four steps to do so:
1. Open the Excel application.
Do this by double-clicking on the Excel icon or opening an Excel file.
2. Open the “Option” window.
You can find this in the “File” option, located in the top-left portion of your screen. When you select the “Options” tab, a new window opens.
3. Find and select the Trust Center.
The “Trust Center” panel is in the left panel bar. Once you’ve accessed the Trust Center, select “Trust Center Settings.”
4. Select your desired setting.
Choose a macros option that fits your purposes and click “OK.”
There are various options in your Trust Center macro settings, including:
- “Disable all macros without notification”: By choosing this option, you can turn off macros and disable the notifications and security alerts about them.
- “Disable all macros with notification”: By selecting this, you can turn off all macros, keep the security alerts active, and enable macros manually and individually.
- “Disable all macros except digitally signed macros”: By checking this option’s box, you can turn off all macros except ones digitally signed by a trusted publisher. Excel will notify you if an unsigned macro is present.
- “Enable all macros (not recommended; potentially dangerous code can run)”: This setting allows macros to run without confirmation or approval.
Are Macros Safe?
Signed macros from trusted sources are generally safe to use, but those from unfamiliar or non-trusted sources may present some risk. It is because some people create macros as a vessel for malware. Such macros can infect your computer and compromise your organization’s network security. That’s why Excel disables them by default, and it’s essential to know about the potential security risks.
Conclusion
To conclude, enabling macros in Excel is essential for automating repetitive tasks and improving efficiency. Macros allow you to automate mundane tasks, freeing you to focus on more critical work. Using macros ensures consistent formatting, calculations, and data manipulation. Create custom macros to your specific needs, improving efficiency. Macros are inscribed in Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), a powerful language within Excel.
