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How to Add a Trusted Publisher Certificate in Excel
Question details
The user needs to add a specific application's digital certificate to the Trusted Publishers list in Microsoft Excel to ensure it runs without security blocks.
- Product
- Microsoft Excel
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Running a macro, add-in, or application safely by trusting its publisher.
- Observed behavior
- The user wants to configure Excel to recognize and trust a specific digital certificate for seamless and secure operation.
Before making changes to the Trust Center, ensure you have obtained a valid digital certificate directly from a verified and reliable publisher, as adding unknown certificates can expose your computer to malicious software.
Add a Trusted Publisher via Excel Trust Center
Use the built-in Trust Center settings to review and add trusted digital certificates for safe application execution.
By adding a developer's digital certificate to the Trusted Publishers list, Excel will automatically allow macros, add-ins, and other executable elements from that source to run without prompting you with security warnings.
Launch Microsoft Excel, navigate to the 'File' menu, and click on 'Options' at the bottom left. In the Excel Options dialog, select 'Trust Center' from the left pane and click the 'Trust Center Settings' button.
In the Trust Center window, click on 'Trusted Publishers' in the left menu. Here, you can review the list of currently trusted digital certificates.
If the application provides a digital certificate file (such as .cer), navigate to the file in Windows File Explorer, double-click it, click 'Install Certificate', and follow the wizard to place it in the 'Trusted Publishers' certificate store.
After successfully installing the certificate, completely close and restart Microsoft Excel. The application or add-in from this publisher will now run safely without triggering security alerts.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I get a digital certificate to add to Excel's Trusted Publishers?
You should obtain the digital certificate directly from the software developer or publisher of the add-in. They usually provide it as a downloadable file (such as .cer or .pfx) along with their application software.
Why is the Trusted Publisher list empty in Excel?
The list is empty by default until you manually install and trust a publisher's certificate on your local machine, or until your organization's IT administrator deploys trusted certificates via Windows Group Policy.
How do I remove a publisher from the Trusted Publishers list?
Go to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings, and select Trusted Publishers. Select the name of the publisher you want to remove from the list and click the 'Remove' button.
Can I trust a macro without a digital certificate?
Yes, you can temporarily enable all macros via Trust Center > Macro Settings, or move the file to a designated 'Trusted Location'. However, this is not recommended as it leaves your computer vulnerable to potentially malicious code.
