How to: Re-enable an Add-in That Has Been Disabled

Microsoft Office applications can disable add-ins that behave unexpectedly. If an application does not load your add-in when you try to debug it, the application might have hard disabled or soft disabled your add-in.

There are different processes for re-enabling add-ins, depending on the application.

Applies to: The information in this topic applies to application-level projects for Microsoft Office 2010 and the 2007 Microsoft Office system. For more information, see Features Available by Office Application and Project Type.

Hard-Disabled Add-Ins

Hard disabling can occur when an add-in causes the application to close unexpectedly. It might also occur on your development computer if you stop the debugger while the Startup event handler in your add-in is executing.

The procedure is different for Microsoft Office applications that use the Ribbon in the main window UI, and applications that do not use the Ribbon.

To re-enable an add-in in an application that uses the Ribbon

1. In the application, click the File tab (for Microsoft Office 2010) or the Microsoft Office Button (for the 2007 Microsoft Office system).

2. Click the ApplicationName Options button.

3. In the categories pane, click Add-ins.

4. In the details pane, verify that the add-in appears in the Disabled Application Add-ins list.

   The Name column specifies the name of the assembly, and the Location column specifies the full path of the application manifest.

5. In the Manage box, click Disabled Items, and then click Go.

6. Select the add-in and click Enable.

7. Click Close.

To re-enable an add-in in an application that does not use the Ribbon

1. In the application, open the Disabled Items dialog box. For instructions, see Help for the Office application.

2. In the categories pane, click Add-ins.

3. Verify that the add-in assembly appears in the list.

4. Select the add-in and click Enable.

5. Click Close.

Soft-Disabled Add-Ins

Soft disabling can occur when an add-in produces an error that does not cause the application to unexpectedly close. For example, an application might soft disable an add-in if it throws an unhandled exception while the Startup event handler is executing.

Note

When you re-enable a soft-disabled add-in, the application immediately attempts to load the add-in. If the problem that initially caused the application to soft disable the add-in has not been fixed, the application will soft disable the add-in again.

The procedure is different for Microsoft Office applications that use the Ribbon in the main window UI, and applications that do not use the Ribbon.

To re-enable an add-in in an application that uses the Ribbon

1. In the application, click the File tab (for Microsoft Office 2010) or the Microsoft Office Button (for the 2007 Microsoft Office system).

2. Click the ApplicationName Options button.

3. In the categories pane, click Add-ins.

4. In the details pane, verify that the add-in appears in the Inactive Application Add-ins list.

   The Name column specifies the name of the assembly, and the Location column specifies the full path of the application manifest.

5. In the Manage box, click COM Add-ins, and then click Go.

6. In the COM Add-Ins dialog box, select the check box next to the disabled add-in.

7. Click OK.

To re-enable an add-in in an application that does not use the Ribbon

1. In the application, open the COM Add-ins dialog box. For instructions, see Help for the Office application.

2. In the COM Add-Ins dialog box, select the check box next to the disabled add-in.

3. Click OK.

See Also

Tasks

How to: Handle Errors in Office Projects

Concepts

Debugging in Application-Level Projects

Other Resources

Building and Debugging Office Solutions

Programming Application-Level Add-Ins