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How to Install an Excel Add-In on a Mac

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You know that moment when someone sends you a cool Excel tool—maybe a fancy dashboard generator or a bulk email sender—and you think, “Nice, I’ll just open it and get started.” But instead of magic, you get nothing. No new buttons, no new tabs. Just Excel, quietly judging you.

That’s when it hits you: this thing isn’t a normal file. You need to install it as an add-in. And if you’re on a Mac, that can feel like trying to follow directions written for a completely different planet.

Let me walk you through it. Step by step, with no fluff. Just what you need to know, and a few tips to make life easier.

First, What’s an Excel Add-In?

An Excel Add-In is a special kind of file that adds extra features to Excel. It might give you new menu buttons, tools, or even custom forms. But when you open it, you don’t see any worksheets. That’s normal.

It runs in the background and does its thing quietly. Think of it like an app that lives inside Excel.

Step 1: Unzip the File

Most Excel add-ins come in a zip file. If you’re using Safari, it probably unzipped it for you. If not, double-click the file. Inside, you’ll see the actual add-in—usually ending in .xlam or .xla.

Step 2: Move It to the Right Folder (Optional but Helpful)

You can store the add-in anywhere, but there’s a special folder where Excel looks for add-ins automatically. That folder is:

/Users/YourName/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/User Content/Add-Ins

To get there:

  1. Open Finder.
  2. Click Go in the top menu.
  3. Hold the Option key. Now you’ll see Library. Click it.
  4. Go to Group Containers, then UBF8T346G9.Office, then User Content, then Add-Ins.

Tip: With the Add-Ins folder open, press Command + Control + T to add it to your Finder sidebar for quicker access next time.

Step 3: Install It in Excel

  1. Open Excel.
  2. Click Tools > Excel Add-ins…
  3. If your add-in is listed, just check the box and press OK.
  4. If it’s not listed, click Browse, find your add-in file, and click Open, then OK.

That’s it. Excel will now load the add-in automatically every time you open it.

To Uninstall It

Go to Tools > Excel Add-ins…, uncheck the box next to the add-in, and press OK.

It stays in the list in case you want to turn it back on later.