Macro Settings in Excel: Dealing with Grey-Outs

The following dataset contains the income statements of several people. Note the macro settings have been greyed out.

How to Go from Disabling to Enabling Macros

Steps:

1. Click Home and replicate the following dataset.
   
2. Enable Macros by clicking File → Options → Trust Center → Trust Center Settings → Macro Settings → Enable VBA macros (not recommended, potentially dangerous code can run).
   
3. If all options are greyed-out (so that when you click one, nothing happens), proceed to Step 4.
4. Open the Windows Run Dialog Box by pressing the Windows+R keys simultaneously.
5. In the Run dialog box, type MSC, then press OK.
   
6. When the Local Group Policy Editor menu pops up, click User Configuration → Administrative Templates, then return to your Excel worksheet.
   
7. Return to the Trust Center.
8. Repeat Step 2 until you get to Trust Center Settings, then click Trusted Locations (marked 1 on the following screenshot).
9. Click the first option (marked 2), then OK.
   
10. Enable any and all greyed out macro settings.
11. Restart your PC.
    

How to Go from Enabling to Disabling Macros

1. Repeat Step 2 until you get to Trust Center Settings, then click Trusted Locations (marked 1 on the following screenshot).
2. Click the second option Disable VBA macros with notification (marked 2), then OK.
3. Restart your PC.

Bottom Line

You can pop up the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window by pressing the Alt+F11 keys simultaneously.

If the Developer tab is not visible in your ribbon, go to File → Option → Customize Ribbon

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