Excel Add-in doesn't get the hint

Question

I have an excel add-in that keeps coming back when I start excel, even though I've removed it from the last open instance of excel (yes I checked the processes in task manager).

The critter even shows up when I start excel in safe mode.

Anybody else had this?

Answer 1

In my case Excel was trying to install an add-in (quickfs) every time I opened a particular Excel workbook. I tried:

• Letting the add-in install and then removing it from within Excel (Home → Add-ins → More add-ins → My Add-ins → three dots and then "Remove")
• Removing the add-in from the online version of Excel in Office.com (Home → Add-ins → More add-ins → Manage my add-ins → My account → find the add-in and select "Hide")
• Checking that the add-in wasn't in any folders named "Xlstart"
• Searching and deleting any .xla or .xlam files whose name resembled that of the add-in
• Searching for any additional locations that the add-in might reside in such as C:\Users\USERID\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\AddIns
• Checking the registry for any references to the add-in, for example looking for any registry keys with values that point to the add-in under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\version\Excel\Options
• I made sure no user-defined-function that was provided by the add-in was used anywhere in the workbook (as recommended here)

Nothing helped, Excel kept trying to re-install QuickFS every time I opened that particular workbook. I then changed the filename of the workbook (added a .zip extension), which enabled me to unzip the workbook into a separate folder. Within that folder I used Notepad++ to search for "qfs", which is the custom function that the add-in registers. I found that there was a cryptic reference in a file named "webextension1.xml" in the folder "xl\webextensions". This lead me to a github post which gave the solution that worked for me: open the workbook in the full version of Microsoft Excel on an MS Windows computer, go to File → Info → Check for Issues → Inspect Document, make sure "Task Pane Add-ins" is selected and then click "Inspect", in the results window scroll down to "Task Pane Add-ins" and click "Remove All." Now save the workbook, close it, and re-open it.

A more mannual approach is to unzip the workbook, edit the webextension1.xml, remove the reference to the add-in, or possibly remove the whole webextensions folder, then re-zip the folder, change the extension back to .xlsx.

Answer 2

I was having the same issue and was able to solve it like this:

1. Open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Users\USERID\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\AddIns, remove the add-in(s) you would like to remove.

2. Open Excel, when given warning about missing add-in(s) just click "ok".

3. Click "File", "Options", "Add-ins" then "Go"

4. The Add-ins window will appear, uncheck the add-in(s) you would like to remove. When prompted to remove CLICK NO (trust me).

5. Click "Ok", the Add-ins menu will close.

6. Save blank file to desktop, close Excel and Reopen. This time you should not get the warning messages about missing add-in(s).

7. Click "File", "Options", "Add-ins" then "Go" again.

8. This time, click on the add-in(s) you would like to remove, when prompted to remove remove from list select "Yes".

9. Click "Ok".

The Add-in(s) should no longer display in the Add-ins menu and the warning messages will stop appearing.

This is what worked for me, there may be unnecessary steps (like saving and possibly closing) but I wanted to include everything I did.

Answer 3

Here are the steps:

1. First, remove the addIn from Excel. After removing it, don't reopen Excel yet
2. Go to registry: Start -> Run -> regedit -> HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\version\Excel\Options. Delete the registry of the addIn you want to remove. The data column will give you the hint.
3. This is the key, remember to restart the computer to reset Excel. If you open Excel before the restart, it will register the AddIn in your registry again and you will need to start all over again

Answer 4

I found there was a process spawning the addin, and somehow managed to break it. Excel offered for me to disable it, and told me I could find it in Help > About > Disabled items if I wanted to reinstate it.

Answer 5

Perhaps the add-in file is sitting in the Excel startup directory?

Tools -> Options -> General -> 'At startup, open all files in'

As well as the entry in this setting, Excel may also be implictly loading the add-in from folders such as

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OfficeVersion\Xlstart

C:\Documents and Settings\User name\Application Data\Microsoft\Excel\XLSTART

Any folder named 'xlstart' is a candidate - perhaps it's worth searching your C drive for such folders and/or the actual name of the add-in file.

Also, check the registry for Excel OPEN entries. Start -> Run -> regedit -> HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\version\Excel\Options. Look for any values named OPENx.

Answer 6

1) Did you check C:\Documents and Settings\\Application Data\Microsoft\AddIns and see if the file is there? If it is, you could delete it from there.

2) Try these steps:

• Try searching your C drive for all .xla or .xlam files and see if you can find the one that looks like the add-in you're trying to delete.

• If you find it, delete it (let it go to recycle bin though just in case something goes wrong and you want to get it back quickly).

• Once you delete it, start Excel. You may get message about add-in being missing, and if so say yes when prompted if you want to remove add-in from list.

• If not prompted, go to tools add-ins and check the box for the add-in you are trying to delete. Excel won't be able to find it, then it should prompt you as to whether you want to remove it from list. Say yes.