Adding a Macro to the Quick Access Toolbar

by Allen Wyatt
(last updated April 24, 2017)

8

People generally create macros because they intend to use them. (Makes sense, right?) If you have a macro that you need to use quite often, you may want to add it to the Quick Access Toolbar where it can be invoked easily. Just follow these steps if you are using Excel 2007:

  1. Click the Office button and then click Excel Options. Excel displays the Excel Options dialog box.
  2. At the left side of the dialog box click Customize.
  3. Using the Choose Commands From drop-down list, choose Macros. You should see a list of available macros.
  4. In the list of macros, click on the one you want added to the Quick Access Toolbar.
  5. Click the Add button. The macro moves to the right side of the dialog box.
  6. Click OK.

The steps are slightly different if you are using Excel 2010 or Excel 2013:

  1. Click the File tab on the ribbon.
  2. Click Options. Excel displays the Excel Options dialog box.
  3. At the left side of the dialog box click Quick Access Toolbar.
  4. Using the Choose Commands From drop-down list, choose Macros. You should see a list of available macros.
  5. In the list of macros, click on the one you want added to the Quick Access Toolbar.
  6. Click the Add button. The macro moves to the right side of the dialog box.
  7. Click OK.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (7849) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, and 2013.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He  is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

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What is 8 - 1?

2018-01-27 11:27:55

Peter Atherton

On 2007 this works

(see Figure 1 below)

Figure 1. 

2018-01-25 10:34:29

ger

My macros are not showing. I'm doing as you say in Windows 13. I tried creating macros in the personal workbook. That doesn't work when I'm opening excel through an application (CCH Prosystems Engagement audit software). So I tried saving my workbook (Vba) as an add in, and then checking the box in the excel options menu for adding that file as an add in. It shows but I can't access the macro I created- neither by the shortcut I assigned to it in personal xlsb or get it to show up in the quick access tool bar. I looked at the dropdown menu and made it list the macros. I feel it is just not there. I tried closing all excel files and reopening them. Also, there should be a way to assign keyboard shortcuts to macros from this toolbar, because I won't be able to see macros in the view macros box if it's as an add in. Thanks in advance.

2017-11-02 14:59:15

Pete

Hi, Alan -- You probably have more pull with Microsoft than the likes of me. Somebody ought to kick this bug up the priority ladder for Mac development: It's possible to change the name on custom entries to the quick-access toolbar in Excel 2016, but clicking "save" does not save the change; the name always reverts to <<No label>>. I give them credit for substantially improving the IDE for macro programming on the Mac in the last release, but I still miss this one!

2017-04-26 09:44:46

Pete Zicari

I found the feature for (theoretically) changing the names of Quick Toolbar buttons - but not their icons. Under Excel Preferences, it's Ribbon & Toolbar | quick access toolbar; select the command and click the gear icon at bottom. (see Figure 1 below)

Figure 1. How to change name of command in quick toolbar in Excel 2016 for Mac

2017-04-25 12:26:01

Willy Vanhaelen

@Philip
It is easy to do it in Excel 2007 and I suppose it's similar in later versions:
- Right click on the QAT and select Customise Quick Access Toolbar...
- In the dialog that appears select your macro in the right pane.
- Click Modify
- A dialog appears with a bunch of icons
- Choose the one you like and click OK

2017-04-24 10:05:49

Pete Zicari

In Excel 2016 for the Mac, the quick-access options are built into the toolbar. However, the tooltips attached to the standard buttons aren't available for the macro. The macro name would be quite helpful, as you can imagine. (see Figure 1 below)

Figure 1. the last button on the row is the options. The circles are my macros.

2017-04-24 03:13:43

Philip

Dear Allen,

What I am trying to figure out, is how to set the icon of these buttons to my own icon (or even to a pre-defined icon). When adding a macro to (any) toolbar, I get a blank icon only ...

I am using Excel 2016 on my Mac and on Windows systems.

2016-02-05 12:16:24

Willy Vanhaelen

Alternatively you can right click a command in the ribbon and select "Add to Quick Access Toolbar".

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