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How to Fix a COM Add-In That Does Not Load When Excel Starts
Question details
The user needs to resolve an issue where an enabled third-party COM add-in fails to load automatically when opening Microsoft Excel.
- Product
- Microsoft Excel
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Launching Excel with an enabled third-party COM add-in configured to load at startup.
- Observed behavior
- The add-in does not appear in the Excel interface after the application is restarted, despite being enabled in settings.
Ensure that you are running the latest version of Microsoft Excel and have administrative privileges on your computer, as some third-party COM add-ins require admin rights to load properly.
Verify and Re-enable the COM Add-in in Excel Settings
Excel may forcefully disable an add-in if it detects a slow load time or crash. Re-enabling it manually can sometimes restore its startup functionality.
If a COM add-in causes Excel to freeze or load slowly, Excel's safety mechanisms might silently disable it. You must check both the COM Add-ins menu and the Disabled Items list.
Launch Microsoft Excel, click on the 'File' tab in the top-left corner, and select 'Options' at the bottom of the menu.
In the Excel Options dialog box, click on 'Add-ins' in the left-hand sidebar.
At the bottom of the window, click the 'Manage' dropdown menu, select 'Disabled Items', and click 'Go...'. If your add-in is listed here, select it and click 'Enable'.
Change the 'Manage' dropdown to 'COM Add-ins' and click 'Go...'. Uncheck your problematic add-in, click 'OK', restart Excel, and then repeat this step to re-check and enable it.
Contact the Add-in Developer or Microsoft Forums
Third-party add-ins like Monkey Tools often require specific compatibility patches. Reaching out to the developer or community forums is the most effective way to resolve unique installation issues.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Excel disable my COM add-in automatically?
Excel may automatically disable a COM add-in if it detects that the add-in is causing the application to load slowly, crash frequently, or consume excessive system resources during startup.
How do I check if my add-in is in the Excel Disabled Items list?
Go to File > Options > Add-ins. In the 'Manage' dropdown menu at the bottom of the window, select 'Disabled Items' and click 'Go' to see if your add-in is listed and needs to be re-enabled.
Can registry errors cause a COM add-in to fail at startup?
Yes. If the LoadBehavior registry key for the specific COM add-in is set to a value other than 3 (which tells Office to load it at startup), the add-in will not load when you open Excel.
Do I need admin rights to run Excel COM add-ins?
Most COM add-ins require administrative privileges during installation to register properly with Windows. Running Excel as an administrator once can also help initialize problematic add-ins.
