VBA & Macro Problems

How to Fix Missing UserForm in Excel VBA Editor

Chanuka Geekiyanage Sep 30, 2026 870 views

Question details

The UserForm insertion option is unavailable or missing in the Visual Basic Editor, preventing the creation of custom dialogue boxes.

How to Fix Missing UserForm in the Excel VBA Editor

Product: Microsoft Excel
Device & OS: Windows and macOS
Scenario: Attempting to design or insert a custom UserForm interface for an Excel macro project using the Visual Basic Editor.
Observed behavior: The UserForm option does not appear in the Insert menu of the VBA Editor, a problem particularly prominent in Office for Mac due to limited forms support.

Before you start

Verify your operating system, as Microsoft Office for Mac has inherently limited support for creating and editing VBA UserForms compared to the fully supported Windows version.

Solution 1Recommended

Export from Windows and Import to Mac

Use a Windows computer to design the UserForm, then transfer the form files to the environment where the designer is missing.

Since the Visual Basic Editor on macOS lacks full UserForm design capabilities, the most reliable workaround is to create the form on a Windows machine and import it into your Mac project.

Create the UserForm on Windows

Open Excel on a Windows PC, press Alt + F11 to open the VBA Editor, and go to Insert > UserForm to design your interface.

Export the Form Files

In the Project Explorer panel, right-click the newly created UserForm and select 'Export File...'. Save the resulting .frm and .frx files to a shared drive or USB.

Import to the Target Environment

Open the VBA Editor on your Mac (or the target machine missing the feature), right-click your VBA project in the Project Explorer, choose 'Import File...', and select the .frm file.

macOS Limitations: While imported UserForms will generally run on Office for Mac, you will still not be able to visually edit the form controls using the Mac VBA Editor.

Solution 2

Enable Required VBA Object Libraries

Enable the necessary object library references if you are trying to generate or interact with UserForms programmatically via VBA code.

Built-in VBA Support

Create and Manage UserForms Easily with WPS Office

WPS Office provides seamless support for VBA macros and UserForms on Windows. You can easily design and implement custom dialogue boxes for your spreadsheets without compatibility limitations, all within a lightweight and highly compatible suite.

1. Open WPS Spreadsheets: Launch WPS Office and open your macro-enabled workbook (.xlsm).
2. Access the VBA Editor: Navigate to the 'Developer' tab on the ribbon and click on 'Visual Basic Editor', or simply press Alt + F11.
3. Insert a UserForm: In the VBA Editor, right-click on your VBAProject in the Project Explorer on the left, select 'Insert', and click on 'UserForm'.
4. Design the Interface: Use the automatically provided Toolbox window to drag and drop controls like buttons, labels, and text boxes directly onto your new UserForm.

Fully supports Microsoft Excel VBA formats (.xlsm, .xltm)Built-in, fully functional Visual Basic EditorRobust environment for UserForms and custom macro controlsFree and lightweight alternative with a familiar user interface

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the UserForm option completely missing in Office for Mac?

Office for Mac does not include the full Visual Basic Editor forms designer found in the Windows version. While it can run most existing UserForms, the ability to visually insert and design them from scratch is severely limited or absent by design.

Can I edit a UserForm on a Mac after importing it from Windows?

You can edit the underlying VBA code associated with the UserForm on a Mac, but you cannot visually edit the layout, resize controls, or drag-and-drop new elements onto the form. All visual layout changes must be done on a Windows machine.

What should I do if the 'Microsoft Forms 2.0 Object Library' is missing from References?

If it does not appear in the Tools > References list, you can force it to load by inserting a UserForm (if on Windows). Alternatively, click 'Browse' in the References dialog and locate the 'FM20.DLL' file, typically found in your System32 or SysWOW64 folder.

Excel & Data Problems