Word 2010 Macros disappear when Word is closed

Anonymous
2011-01-17T14:38:14+00:00

Hi folks,

I've been using Word since the beginning of time and using simple macros in Word to increase efficiency.  I recently upgraded (or downgraded) to Word 2010 and now the macros disappear when I close Word.  I've checked everywhere to fix this annoyance and changed the Trust Centre settings to enable macros, made sure I'm saving them in the correct template, even checked the add-ins.  What was once a simple and elegant little function has morphed into a complicated labryinth of settings.  I thought software upgrades were to make the process more intuitive and simple but here I've spent over an hour trying to find a solution.  The 90 days of support for Office is a joke. After phoning in to 1-800-668-7975 I went through 10 questions with the 'electronic host. ' Finally you get a person who refers you to the Word Professional support person who then tells you to go to a website and search the forums. I've been a support of Microsoft products for years but I think this is the beginning of the end for Microsoft. Windows 7 is certainly a big improverement over the last two OSs but Office Word 2010 is a pain.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Windows

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Anonymous
2011-01-17T15:24:33+00:00

Word 2010 stores macros in the same manner as earlier versions - in templates, documents and by default the normal template.

If you have an old normal.dot file with your macros from an earlier Word version, rename the Word 2010 normal template (normal.dotm) to oldnormal.dotm with Word closed.

Put the old normal.dot file in the same folder as oldnormal.dotm and restart Word. Word will read the old template and create a new normal template. From Word Options > Advanced > Save - Check the option to prompt to save the normal template (and preferably the option to create backups). Close Word and you should get a prompt to save the normal template. Save it!

Remove the old normal.dot from the folder and restart Word. Your macros should be available. Whether they will work correctly in Word 2010 rather depends on what they do.

If you don't have an old normal.dot file - just complete the other steps. You will have to add macros to the resulting template.

By default the Word Startup and User Templates folders are trusted folders. If you have moved those locations from the default settings you will need to add the folders to the trusted folders list.

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

www.gmayor.com

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  1. Stefan Blom 352.5K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2012-11-26T19:59:31+00:00

    Where are you saving the macros that you lose?

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  2. Anonymous
    2012-11-26T19:17:45+00:00

    I have the same problem. I use macros to run multiple document print jobs. even after making new macros in my current version of word 2013, they still disappear on me every few weeks and I have to go back in and re-make them. what I've done to make it easier is save my macros to a word doc so I can simply copy and paste them back into the macro pages.

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  3. Charles Kenyon 170.9K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2012-08-28T13:01:25+00:00

    "These third-party add-ins are beyond Microsoft's control, so the blame should not be laid at Microsoft's door."

     

    I partially agree, but SOME of the blame CAN be laid on Microsoft's door in that part of the reason they are beyond Microsoft's control is because Microsoft does not release control.  I seriously doubt application (add-in) developers would deliberately create add-ins that cause so much grief.  They cause problems BECAUSE (at least in part) Microsoft allows it.

     

    Further, the fact that so many people are not happy with the so-called upgrade to 2010 (and I am one of them) is something that Microsoft IS responsible for.

    You can, if you wish, blame Microsoft for allowing others to extend the interface or alter it. It is intended that programs like Acrobat or EndNote can add commands to the menus, toolbars, and ribbons so that people can use their software from within Word. Most people want this. I do. However, if these third party software providers are not responsible, they make Word harder to do. I mention Adobe and EndNote because both of those have caused problems with Word in the past.

    As for the change from Word 97-2003 to Word 2007-2010 interface, that is not the subject of this thread. 2010 is far superior to 2007 and if you skipped 2007 you are happier for it. Yes, it is a jolt. Most power users did not like it. Most new users did, and do like it.

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  4. Charles Kenyon 170.9K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2012-08-28T12:56:27+00:00

    Normal.dot or normal.dotm should not be a shared file. Period. It is a personal file. The way to share shortcuts is with a separate .dot, .dotx, or .dotm file that is placed in Word's Startup Folder. See Templates in Microsoft Word.

    That is where Add-Ins are placed, not in the normal template.

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