# Microsoft Office Application Help - Excel Help forum > Excel Programming / VBA / Macros >  >  Excel macro does not show up in Macro list

## dnmeeks

I made a macro, works fine, shows up in the macro drop-down list.
I saved that workbook as an add-in.
Now, opening a new workbook, Alt-F11 and I can see the add-in, and my code is right there in the module where it should be.
But - when I click on the Macros drop-down, it's empty.
If I manually type the name of my macro in to the macro list box, it runs. 
Why does it not show up?
It is not private, it starts like this:



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Thanks in advance -
Dan

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## dilipandey

Hi Dan,

welcome to the forum.
As per my knowledge, your current workbook has your existing workbook as an add-in and hence it is there as an installation but it is not there as macro and hence should not be showing because your current workbook never had this.  This is tricky but I hope u got it.   :Smilie: 

Regards,
DILIPandey
<click on below *** if this helps>

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## Trebor76

Hi Dan,

When you open the *Macro* dialog (Alt + F8) make sure the *All Open Workbooks* is selected from the *Macros in* listbox.

HTH

Robert

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## dnmeeks

Thanks but I have checked that (All Open Workbooks), and it doesn't help. Any other ideas?

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## dilipandey

Hi dnmeeks, did you checked my post#2 ?


Regards,
DILIPandey
<click on below *** if this helps>

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## dnmeeks

Thanks, yes I saw it, but I don't think I understand the issue. My understanding is that you are supposed to use a sheet as an "add-in" if you want to be able to use the macro(s) in other sheets. Is that not right? I just want to have this macro available whenever I open a new sheet. Thanks!

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## dilipandey

Okay.. let me summarize it here:-
-You created a macro (vba) and you saved the workbook as xla.
-now you wish to use this macro (or say the workbook containing macro) as an add-in in some other workbook.
-you opened your other workbook and browsed xla file and installed it. Now it should appear as a button (menu / ribbon bar) if you designed it that way or whatever customization you done to use that. If you wish you can search internet on how to transfer xla on menu / ribbon bar  :Smilie: 

*You cannot see :-*
the macro if your bring macro list box (alt + f8), see below what Microsoft is saying:-
"Excel Add-in (XLA) is really an Excel Workbook (*.xls) that does not contain any worksheets. The only part of the file that is used by Excel is the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) project sub-storage, which contains the add-in (VBA) code. 
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/268016"

*You can SEE:-*
if you press Alt + F11 (VB Editor), you should find your xla workbook listed on left side.

Below method can be used to convert an xla back to xlsx / xls :-
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/211561

hope this helps  :Smilie: 

Regards,
DILIPandey
<click on below *** if this helps>

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## dnmeeks

Thank you DILIPandey -
I think I understand that. Is there some way to make my macros available every time I open a new workbook? I have tried addins, and I have tried making a "personal.xls" and placing it in the XLSTART subdirectory. In both cases I see that the macro is there (Alt-F11), but the macros do NOT show up in the macros drop-down. Why is this so convoluted and hard to figure out? I would think this is a fundamental issue which should have been answered a thousand times by now. It is really frustrating. Sometimes I think they make it intentionally difficult to discourage the "layman" from writing code. Sorry for the rant... Thanks for the help!

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## dilipandey

> but the macros do NOT show up in the macros drop-down.



why you want macro to show up, when you have your macro in personal.xls you can still use that.
and for add-in, so that it appears every time, did you created that add-in to appear as a menu / ribbon button ?

Regards,
DILIPandey
<click on below *** if this helps>

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## jgross

I am having the same problem.  I made changes to an add-in that was currently on my ribbon.  It forced me to save it as a new name. Then I went into the add-in manager and clicked the check.   It is now showing up in vb where I can run the macro, but it is not showing up in the drop down list so that I can run it from excel.  

I have since fixd it somehow.

I am not sure which of these fixed it.  So maybe this will help

Renamed the file
Moved it out of the add in directory
closed excel
moved it back into the add indirectory
opened the excel and went into the window options and into the addin go
Finally it was not there so I searched to the add in and added it.
from there i was able to add the macro back to the ribbon.

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## arlu1201

jgross,

Unfortunately you need to post your question in a new thread, it's against the forum rules to post a question in the thread of another user. If you create your own thread, any advice will be tailored to your situation so you should include a description of what you've done and are trying to do.  Also, if you feel that this thread is particularly relevant to what you are trying to do, you can surely include a link to it in your new thread.

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## jgross

arlu.  The persons issue was unresolved.  I had the same question and issue I was trying to explain the issue more for the first person.  So it is the same question.  The advice that person got was unhelpful, but if the advisor read what i said and answered it would answer the original question.  If I post it to a new question it will not help the first person.

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## gwagnerx

Anybody still interested in a solution?

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## Ladiesweb

Yes, very interested in the solution

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## rorya

Macros in add-ins do not show up in the macros dialog. You need to provide a way to run them - usually through a menu system of some kind (eg customising the Ribbon).

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## gwagnerx

I applied a very rudimentary way:

1. open the .xlsm workbook in error
2. save the workbook as .xlsx EXCEL file
3. close EXCEL
4. open the xlsx file
5. open the .xlsm file
6. in the .xlsm file go to the "Developer" menue and click "Visual Basic"
    now you should see the macro modules in the .xlsm workbook
7. select the module you want to recover
8. select all by Ctrl_A and copy it by Ctrl_C
9. change to the open .xlsx file
10. select "Developer" menue
11. click "Macros" button
12. set the option "Macros in this workbook"
13. type a name into the "name field" and click the "Create" button
14. delete all in the opening new module window
15. type Ctrl_V to put the copied content of the module from the .xlsm file

Now you have the module in the .xlsx file.
You need to repeat that for all modules, if there are more in the none-working .xlsm fole.

Finally you need to safe the new workbook as .xlsm to enable the macros in the new workbook.
If you now click the "Macros" tab in the Developer menue the macro list should appear as usual.

good luck
Gerhard

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## dzook

I had the same issue. Then I realized that my Sub is stated as private:




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So if you want it being visible in the macro dialog box, just remove "Private", but be sure your code still works.

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