How To Completely Uninstall And Remove An Excel Add-in

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Learn how to disable or completely uninstall and remove an Excel Add-in from the Add-ins menu.
To disable an add-in:
1. Open Excel and go to the Options Menu.
- This varies depending on your version of excel.
- 2007 - Office Button, Excel Options
- 2010 & 2013 - File, Options
2. Click the “Add-Ins” option on the left-side menu, and then click the “Go…” button.
- You may have to wait a few seconds for the window to appear.
3. Uncheck the box next to the name of the add-in.
4. Click OK.
The add-in will be disabled and closed in the background. It will NOT open next time you open Excel.
To completely remove an add-in:
1. Open Excel and go to the Options Menu.
- This varies depending on your version of excel.
- 2007 - Office Button, Excel Options
- 2010 & 2013 - File, Options
2. Determine where the add-in file is saved on your computer.
3. Close Excel.
4. Delete the add-in file or rename it.
5. Open Excel.
6. Navigate back to the Add-ins menu in the Options window.
7. Press the Go button to open the Add-ins Window.
8. Click the add-in you just deleted.
9. A message box will appear asking you if you want to permanently delete the add-in.
10. Click Yes.
The add-in will now be permanently deleted from the Add-ins Window menu.
Here is a link to the article with written instructions and images for uninstalling an add-in:
www.excelcampu...
Checkout my video on how to INSTALL an excel add-in:
• How To Install An Exce...
Here is an article with written instructions and images on how to install an add-in. You can also download a pdf version and print it.
www.excelcampus...

[@michelledunn6712]

After almost ten years this tutorial is STILL USEFUL. Thank you very much and God Bless!

[@JCFreak0111]

Just as "Vincent", every time I open excel it gives me the message of "sorry we couldn't find " even though I already deleted. I manually change it every time, but if I completely close Excel it tells me the same thing next time I open it. Why doesn't the new add-in save??

[@marcusbellander6166]

This happened to me as well. I think the problem was that I changed the name of the add-in while Excel was still open. And then Excel kept looking for the old name every time it opened. I solved it by "re-introducing" an add-in with the very name in the error message. Then I followed the steps in the video. Then I closed Excel. Then I removed the re-introduced add-in. After that, it disappeared permanently and Excel stopped with the error message.

[@waynerushing5347]

Was digging through trying to figure out how to remove an add-in. Don't know how many sites and docs i looked at. Then came across this...well spoken, direct to the point, and accurate. Well done sir. You've got a new subscriber.

[@Koos971]

Make that two

[@Sikarate]

Thank you so much, I cannot completely remove the Excel Add-ins until I found your VDO. Big thanksssssss.

[@mcanbolat]

If the suggested steps are not working and you are getting "sorry we couldn't find..." every time you open Excel, then the only solution is to go to Apps and Features -> Office -> Modify -> Repair

[@rga159]

Thank you very much! Every time opened Excel had the boring message, now solved! Thank you!!!

[@happybird7301]

If you're have the error that "sorry couldn't because it has been deleted or moved", go in the add in options and disable it first, uncheck the boxes and reload excel. once that is done you will stop having the error. Then go to addins once more and remove it from the list under inactive addins. Once that is done it will stop showing up anywhere. You're welcome.

[@manishc743]

Thanks, video was helpful.

[@ExcelCampus]

Glad it was helpful! 😀

[@JocelynGarcia]

this video was a big help. I was having a Pupv7 issue where the file got moved and it would not open properly. thanks to this video, I was able to successfully delete and reinstall which solved the issue. thank you!

[@nikolaypodkhalyuzin3203]

Useful! Made my Excel and Word loading much faster after deactivating PDF Add-in. Thanks Jon!

[@ExcelCampus]

Glad it helped! 😀

[@nedlin7934]

I use the method elucidated in the video and got the problem solved. thanks!

[@binyao942]

Hi Jon, thanks for sharing the video. But I couldn't get ride of add-ins following your steps. I deleted the actual files and remove them from the add-in list. But when I open the excel file again, it is still on the list. Could you please give me a clue what is happening?

[@slimjramirez]

I can't explain what is happening, but I blindly stumbled across a fix. Unfortunately, I didn't take good notes, but the long and short of what I did is as follows: I followed the directions under "Removing Excel Add-Ins if Excel Won't Start" on the following page: kb.palisade.com/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=109 The particular add-in I was trying to remove was indicated to be in a registry key labeled "OPEN3," and the icon was a red "ab", the Type column indicated it was a "REG_SZ"...file/type, Data column showed the pathway where this add-in was originally located and where Excel couldn't seem to find it currently. I right-clicked and selected "Delete" for that that file/registry key only. When I restarted Excel, the message ("Sorry, could not find...") still came up. After counting to 10 and taking a deep breath...AGAIN...I went through each folder under the directory "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Excel\". This is the part where I should have taken better notes. It was either under the "Excel" subdirectory itself or under the "AddInLoadTimes" subdirectory, but I noticed there was a file/registry key entry with a blue icon with a "011/110" image, I didn't note the Type, but the "Data" column showed the same pathway where the add-in was originally located. I right-clicked and deleted THAT registry key. When I re-opened Excel, and the "Sorry, we could not find..." message did not appear, and the Add-In was COMPLETELY removed from the Add-In panel of the Options dialogue box.

[@Nicole-se7zj]

@@slimjramirez thank you! this helped me!

[@MrRahulukey]

Thanks you so much

[@MythicFajita]

Hello. I followed these steps and deleted an add in from the folder listed in the "add ins" section. I then click on the add in and I am prompted to delete it. However, after I close excel and re-open, the add-in is back and the file is not located in that folder. Do you know how to remove the add in for that scenario?

[@JackLaPoire]

Thanks so much! First time I get a method to truly uninstall these annoying ribbon tabs that always came back, other than “uncheck the tab in the options”.

[@girishghadge8460]

Bigo ! just content crisp and clear Thanks !!

[@shivkumar-mh5gx]

thank you sir. it's very useful for me..

[@davidanderson2713]

Thank you! Worked like a charm (although I had to change the filenames in both Program Files and Program Files (x86) to totally get rid of them).

[@Standammit]

You may also have to restart the computer after removing an Excel add in if you have changed the location and want to reinstall it. Excel kept reverting back to the original folder location I first downloaded it to and installed it from. It was maddening. It must have kept the original location in a buffer area. Once I restarted the machine I was able to reinstall the Excel add in and the location was correct.

[@johnscott2964]

This did not work for me. I can open excel by clicking on the particular file without an error; however, if I try to open Excel by clicking on the Excel icon in the start menu, I still get the error message "Sorry, we couldn’t find C:\Users\jgsco\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\AddIns\start.exe. Is it possible it was moved, renamed or deleted?". The answer is yes, it has been deleted, but it shows up in excel still.

[@Brzcvi]

Every time I open Excel now it says "sorry we couldn;t find . Is it possible it was moved, renamed, or deleted?" How can i fix this?

[@Shrinekeeper1]

same issue here

[@faustospotorno7051]

Exactly the same for me

[@charmainemacintosh7818]

Same here, I have tried over and over. I have also combed through the suggestions here to no avail. I follow step by step the video but as soon as I close Excel and restart it, I get the message again that it is looking for the add-ins.

[@charmainemacintosh7818]

I finally caved and asked for help from Microsoft. Using the chat feature, Julie was able to fix my problem. She made a backup of my registry (in case she was wrong). She deleted the add-ins as per this video and erase and reestablished the registry. Problem solved. I highly suggest contacting Microsoft.

[@chauhansachin7135]

Thanks

[@omarkhan3491]

Solid video! No fluff, all action... Thank you.

[@ekamilenia5366]

Thankss

[@markfannin3975]

Right on! Exactly what I was looking for. Quick and effective. New subscriber here!!!

[@ExcelCampus]

Thank you Mark! ;-)

[@ozimerman111]

Chief! Thank you very much. It makes Excel start faster. I do not use some add-ins

[@venkateshbadagandi5444]

My steam calculator add in is not working when I upgraded my ms office from 2010 to office 365. How to resolve this?

[@visualastrology]

you have not mentioned how to Inactiviate an active addin like MySql

[@nastacha01]

it work. Thank you so much.

[@1binaya]

Thanks!

[@AS-wd5hb]

Can i remove addins from only 1 particular file? (I want addins running as usual in other files)

[@garethl.2123]

Every time I close excel after deleting an add in (refprop) it opens back up and adds it to the list again, prohibiting me from using it. I've deleted it from my computer and reinstalled and I can't use it because excel keeps looking in the old location

[@wreinus]

This doesn't seem to work for Excel for Internet Office which is a dumbed down version of Excel but with useful data types not included on older versions of Excel. I added an add-in and later removed it from my list of add-ins. Unfortunately, every time I load the sheet on which I was using it, it still asks if I want to trust the add-in. I'd like not to have to deal with this annoyance if possible. Any suggestions? Your insight would be greatly appreciated.

[@azhariqbal1390]

Where can I find that add-ins menu?

[@arefulhuq1947]

Give a definition video on ADD-INS

[@danschemerhorn9090]

I did this and when I opened Excel back up it came back and said it was deleted or not there. Did it 3x and it still shows up. Very Strange

[@ianengelbrecht4773]

THANK YOU!!!

[@muhammadtalha9906]

Thanks a lot sir.

[@sergiozacarias2105]

Thank you!

[@Heybat1]

I tried many version, restarted but unfortunately when open Excel faced with annoying message Sorry, we couldn't find ...\Microsoft\addins\ asa.xll. Is it possible it was moved or deleted? How can solve this problem?

[@AW_77]

Thanks, worked a treat.

[@abdussamad7109]

Tks brother

[@ironmask5571]

How would you run a specific xll in Excel but without it being added to the AddIn? If let say it has a ribbon and buttons, it will show up and will be active, but the moment the Excel is being closed, it all goes away. Thanks,

[@anganachaudhuri4798]

I am facing issues with Isoplot 4.15 add-in. I had saved it in the usual path of Microsoft add-ins but it doesn't open when I open excel. I have done all the steps to remove and add again. Anybody else who has faced this issue?

[@onlineearningtricks0765]

Thnx

[@leonardoabelsueldo6211]

Muchas gracias! Funciona!

[@kirandeepchoudhry9232]

Jon plz reply as my ribbon gets minimize and message pop up excel 2007 gone up

[@kirandeepchoudhry9232]

Hi Jon, Jon I install kutools into excel but after installing it my tabs minimize and I m not able to uninstall it.Jon I install this in my office computer and it shows message your excel 2007 is gone Plz Jon help me as I install this in my office computer

[@oliveoilwell]

I am having a hard time removing a bing maps add-in. there is no delete option, no resizing. I have spend almost 100 hours trying to complete this spreadsheet and this bing maps add-in is a nightmare. any solutions?

[@nambisubbiah4897]

Very Useful to me Thanks You

[@casperycghost]

How do you make the buttons to show on the Ribbon like this: ctan.org/tex-archive/support/excel2latex?lang=en Thanks!

[@juliusdossantos8810]

Thanks

[@kevinsaluague009]

Thanks!!!

[@Curlyman28]

Thank you!