VBA & Macro Problems

How to Fix Excel Not Loading PERSONAL.XLSB Macros Reliably

Maira Mehtab Sep 21, 2026 868 views

Question details

Users experience an issue where Excel macros stored in the PERSONAL.XLSB workbook do not appear or load reliably, particularly when opening another workbook from Microsoft Teams first.

Product: Microsoft Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Accessing personal macros while opening workbooks from external sources like Microsoft Teams.
Observed behavior: Macros saved in the PERSONAL.XLSB workbook are unavailable unless the personal macro workbook is opened manually beforehand.

Before you start

Before troubleshooting, ensure that your Excel Trust Center settings are configured to allow macros to run, and verify that the XLSTART folder has not been accidentally moved or renamed.

Solution 1Recommended

Manually Open PERSONAL.XLSB Before Other Workbooks

Force Excel to load your personal macros by ensuring the PERSONAL.XLSB file is opened before you launch any reports or workbooks from Teams.

When you open a file directly from external applications like Teams, Excel may skip loading startup files to prioritize opening the target document. Manually initiating Excel first bypasses this issue.

Launch Excel independently

Open a blank Microsoft Excel instance directly from your Windows Start menu rather than double-clicking a file from Microsoft Teams.

Open PERSONAL.XLSB manually

If your macros still do not appear, go to File > Open, navigate to your XLSTART folder, and manually open the PERSONAL.XLSB file.

Open your target workbook

Once the personal macro workbook is running in the background, open your daily report or the specific workbook from Teams. Your macros will now be fully available.

Solution 2

Create a Desktop Shortcut for PERSONAL.XLSB

Create a shortcut to your personal macro workbook on your desktop so you can quickly launch it whenever Excel fails to load it automatically.

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1. Download and Install WPS Office: Get WPS Office from the official website and complete the quick, lightweight installation process.
2. Open your Workbooks: Launch WPS Spreadsheets and open your .xlsm or .xlsb files directly.
3. Enable Developer Tools: Navigate to the Developer tab to manage and run your macros without the loading issues found in other software.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the PERSONAL.XLSB file located on Windows?

By default, the PERSONAL.XLSB file is located in the XLSTART folder. The standard path is C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel\XLSTART.

Why does opening a file from Teams stop my personal macros from loading?

When opening a workbook directly from Microsoft Teams, Excel sometimes launches in a constrained or protected view mode to prioritize the downloaded file, which may prevent background startup files like PERSONAL.XLSB from initializing properly.

How can I check if PERSONAL.XLSB is disabled?

If PERSONAL.XLSB stops loading automatically, it might have been disabled after a crash. Go to File > Options > Add-ins, select 'Disabled Items' from the Manage drop-down at the bottom, and click Go. If PERSONAL.XLSB is listed, select it and click Enable.

Excel & Data Problems