Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007 and 2010. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Out of Memory Errors when Accessing the VBA Editor.
Chris wrote about a problem he is having with VBA. It seems that he's getting the error message "out of memory" when attempting to access the VBA editor. He's tried closing all other applications, checked for background programs, and he has ample disk space. The error message even occurs in workbooks with relatively small procedures.
It could, realistically, be any number of conditions causing the problem. Because of this, it can be hard to track down the cause. There are a couple of clues that suggest that the problem may be due to either an add-in or to a problem with your macro modules.
You can figure out if it is an add-in by simply starting Excel with all the add-ins disabled. Add them back in, one at a time, until you notice the error again cropping up. You will then have a pretty good idea that the problem is caused by the last add-in you enabled.
If the problem is not due to your add-ins, then you should suspect your macro modules. If you spend a lot of time editing your modules, they can become corrupted over time. (This has been a known problem for some time in VBA.) You can usually get around this problem by recreating the workbook in which the problem occurs. Copy the worksheets from the old to the new workbook, and then use the VBA export and import capabilities to move the macro modules from the old workbook to the new one.
A good discussion on memory problems with Excel can be found at these pages:
http://www.decisionmodels.com/memlimitsc.htm
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (11196) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007 and 2010. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Out of Memory Errors when Accessing the VBA Editor.
Professional Development Guidance! Four world-class developers offer start-to-finish guidance for building powerful, robust, and secure applications with Excel. The authors show how to consistently make the right design decisions and make the most of Excel's powerful features. Check out Professional Excel Development today!
Need to use a macro to select a specific cell in a different workbook? It's not as straightforward of a proposition as ...
Discover MoreIf your workbook contains links, you are normally given the opportunity to update those links when you open the workbook. ...
Discover MoreWhen developing a macro that others may use, you might want to test it out to make sure it works properly if a filter is ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2015-10-31 14:59:28
Dee
I don't have any active add-ins and I have never added a macro. Why would I be getting this message? My computer shows that I have plenty of memory. I closed all my running applications and restarted my computer, starting only the tiny excel file I'm using and I still get the message.
2014-10-15 09:17:27
Shandor
Good ideas except when moving your macros it's easier to paste them into a new module (easily created in the new workbook) if you keep them in a Word doc or text file. If you email this to yourself your macro collection will always be safe for reuse.
Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2018 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007 and 2010. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: 
Comments