Office Settings & Configuration

How to Deploy a Specific Microsoft Office Add-in Without Opening the Store

Phi Hung Vo Oct 14, 2026 870 views

Question details

An organization wants to allow users to install a single approved Office add-in while keeping the global Office Store blocked for security or compliance reasons.

Product: Microsoft 365
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Administrators need to deploy an approved add-in to targeted users without granting open access to the entire add-in marketplace.
Observed behavior: Because the Office Store is blocked, users cannot install any add-ins on their own, requiring administrators to push approved add-ins centrally.

Before you start

Ensure you have Microsoft 365 Global Administrator, Exchange Administrator, or Application Administrator privileges before attempting to configure organizational deployments.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Microsoft 365 Centralized Deployment

Push the approved add-in directly to selected users or groups from the Microsoft 365 Admin Center without unblocking the Office Store.

Centralized Deployment is the recommended tool for Microsoft 365 administrators to assign Office add-ins (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) to users. By using this method, the Office Store remains blocked for end-users, but they will automatically receive the specific add-ins you have explicitly approved and deployed.

Access the Admin Center

Navigate to Integrated Apps

On the left sidebar, click on 'Settings' and then select 'Integrated apps' (or go to 'Settings' > 'Services & add-ins' depending on your portal version).

Add the specific add-in

Click on 'Get apps' to browse the marketplace for your approved add-in, or click 'Upload custom apps' if you have an internally developed XML manifest file.

Assign users

Select the add-in and choose to deploy it to 'Just me', 'Entire organization', or 'Specific users/groups'. Enter the names of the targeted security groups.

Deploy and confirm

Review the app permissions and click 'Deploy'. The add-in will be pushed to the assigned users' Office ribbons automatically.

Use Microsoft 365 Centralized Deployment

Deployment Time: It can take up to 24 hours for a centrally deployed add-in to populate across all user devices and Office applications.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Will centrally deployed add-ins work on Office for Mac and Office on the Web?

Yes, Centralized Deployment supports Office on Windows, Mac, and Office on the web, provided the deployed add-in is fundamentally compatible with those platforms.

Can users remove an add-in deployed by the administrator?

No, if an add-in is deployed via Microsoft 365 Centralized Deployment, end-users cannot remove or disable it from their Office applications. Only administrators can revoke the deployment.

What happens if a user is removed from the assigned security group?

Once a user is removed from the specific group assigned to the add-in, the add-in will automatically be uninstalled and disappear from their Office applications during the next sync.

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