How to Enable Macros in Excel Without Risks
Performing tasks manually in Excel can be a pain, but thankfully, this Microsoft Office app offers quite a few features that can help you automate lengthy and boring tasks.
One such feature is Macros, which you can use to store commands related to the tasks that you perform on a regular basis. You can then run the macros to repeat the actions you want to perform. In this guide, we will be looking at this feature and ways of enabling it for usage in detail.
What Are Macros in Excel?
Excel is known for automating complicated tasks, and macros are one of the many components of Excel that take automation to the next level. You can automate repeated tasks like calculating the performance bonus of your employees at the end of each month.
However, while this may sound convenient, macros are quite risky. Running a malicious code (typically the ones that you have not created yourself) can infect your entire operating system and hard drive, leading to serious issues.
Below, we will take a look at ways to enable macros without risks. As a rule of thumb, you should only enable macros that you have reviewed thoroughly and are sure about their safety.
How to Enable Macros in Excel
In Excel, macros can be enabled for files quite easily. All that you need to do is make changes within the Trust Center of Excel.
1. Enable Macros on Windows
If you are a Windows user, here is how you can enable macros and start using them:
If you are confused about which option to pick while enabling macros, here is a brief explanation of what all options mean:
Once this is done, it is time to start recording the macro. The process is similar tousing macros in Word. For that, follow these steps below:
2. Enable Macros on Mac
The process for enabling macros on Mac is slightly different from the steps we performed above. You cancheck out this article to enable macros in Excel on Mac.
Once you have enabled the macros on macOS, you can either manually record the macros or use a VBA code for this purpose.
How to Enable Macros for One Session
There can be instances when you have files on which you want to run a macro just for the time you are using them. If you do not need the file in the future, then you can enable macros for a single session. Here is how you can do that:
This should enable macros for the current session successfully.
How to Enable Macros for a Specific File
If you want to enable macros for an individual file or workbook only, then using the Office Backstage view is the easiest way of doing so. Here is how you can do that:
This should do the trick for you. In case you find this method complicated, you can also simply click on the yellow security warning in the workbook stating “Macros have been disabled”. Click on theEnable Contentbutton associated with the message, and in the following dialog, click onEnable Macros.
How to Enable Macros in a Trusted Location Permanently
Another way of enabling macros that ensures safety is picking a trusted location within the operating system and manipulating Excel to trust that location only.
This means that only the files located in your selected location will launch with macros enabled already. You will also not receive a security warning while opening these files.
Automate Hectic Tasks With Macros
Like other Excel functions, Macros might also seem intimidating to enable and use at first, but that is not the case. With the methods we have mentioned above, you can begin using them in just a few minutes!
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