Office Settings & Configuration

How to Prevent Office Add-Ins from Being Disabled at Startup

Guest Writer Oct 12, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to prevent Microsoft Office add-ins from being automatically disabled during application startup.

How to Prevent Office Add-Ins from Being Disabled at Startup

Product: Microsoft Office
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Launching Office applications like Outlook where add-ins are repeatedly disabled despite resiliency settings.
Observed behavior: Office add-ins are automatically disabled at startup, and changing settings in the Trust Center only allows manual reactivation instead of preventing the deactivation.

Before you start

Before modifying registry policies, confirm the exact ProgID of the add-in that is being disabled and ensure your Office application is updated to the latest build.

Solution 1Recommended

Configure the AddinList Registry Policy

Modify the Windows Registry to force Office to allow the specific add-in to remain enabled and user-configurable.

By setting the add-in's resiliency value to 2 in the Registry, you prevent the 'Block all unmanaged add-ins' policy from automatically disabling it on startup.

Open Registry Editor

Press the Windows key + R, type 'regedit' into the Run dialog, and press Enter to launch the Registry Editor.

Navigate to the Resiliency Key

Navigate to the path: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\Resiliency\AddinList (replace 'Outlook' with 'Word' or 'Excel' if configuring a different application).

Create the Add-in Entry

Right-click on the AddinList folder, select 'New' > 'String Value', and name it exactly after the ProgID of your add-in.

Set the Value Data

Double-click the newly created string, type '2' in the Value data field, and click OK.

Restart the Device

Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer for the policy changes to take effect.

Value Definitions: A value of 2 means the add-in is enabled but remains configurable by the user. A value of 1 forces it to be always enabled and blocks user changes.

Solution 2

Verify Add-in Compatibility and Trust Center Settings

Ensure the add-in is fully compatible with your version of Office and is not being blocked by standard security settings.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Experience a Faster, Hassle-Free Office Environment with WPS Office

Tired of dealing with complex registry edits and constantly disabled add-ins in Microsoft Office? Switch to WPS Office, a lightweight, free alternative that offers built-in PDF tools and seamless compatibility with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files without the heavy performance overhead.

1. Download the Installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and click the 'Free Download' button.
2. Install WPS Office: Run the downloaded installer and follow the on-screen instructions to set up the software.
3. Open Your Files: Launch WPS Office and directly open your existing Microsoft Office documents without needing additional plugins.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Office formats (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx)Lightweight architecture that launches instantly without plugin slowdownsFree to use with a familiar, easy-to-navigate tabbed interfaceIntegrated Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF tools in one application

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Outlook keep disabling my add-ins?

Outlook automatically disables add-ins that cause the application to load slowly or crash. This is a built-in performance and stability feature known as Add-in Resiliency.

What does the registry value '2' mean for Office add-ins?

Setting the AddinList registry value to '2' instructs Office to keep the add-in enabled while still allowing the user to configure it, effectively bypassing the policy that blocks unmanaged add-ins.

Can I prevent add-ins from being disabled without using the Registry?

While you can manually re-enable them via the Trust Center or the 'Slow and Disabled Add-ins' prompt, permanently preventing them from being disabled at startup usually requires Group Policy or Registry adjustments if they are consistently flagged for performance issues.

Are Outlook registry settings the same for Word or Excel?

The base registry path is similar, but you must replace 'Outlook' with 'Word' or 'Excel' in the \Office\16.0\<App>\Resiliency\AddinList path to apply the settings to those specific applications.

Office App Problems