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. Suzanne S Barnhill 279.4K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2011-08-18T13:32:48+00:00

    It is entirely possible that Endnote is the problem. You can test by temporarily removing the add-in to see if it makes a difference. If so, and if (as is likely) you are unwilling to give it up, then there are other options:

    • If you have Word 2003 or earlier, you can use Shift+File | Save All to force a save of Normal.dot.
    • In Word 2007/2010, short of adding Save All to the QAT, there's no direct way to do this, but you can open Normal.dotm directly for editing and create your macros in it while it is open, then save.

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  2. Anonymous
    2011-08-18T19:08:25+00:00
    1. How do you remove add-ins?
    2. Where is Normal.dotm?  I don't seem to be able to find it anywhere?

    Thanks

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  3. Suzanne S Barnhill 279.4K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2011-08-18T23:32:12+00:00

    You haven't said what version of Word you have, so I can't positively tell you how to find add-ins (especially since I don't know whether the Endnote add-in is a template add-in or a COM add-in), but if this is Word 2007 or 2010, use Office Button | Word Options or File | Options and choose Add-ins. All the add-ins are listed, and you can disable them there.

    Normal.dotm is in the folder specified for User Templates at Office Button | Word Options (or File | Options) | Advanced: File locations. Under Windows XP, the Open dialog will have a button for Templates or Trusted Templates in the Places Bar; under Windows 7, it will be in the navigation pane.

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  4. Anonymous
    2011-11-16T15:51:43+00:00

    I'm another of what are surely legions of disappointed Word 2010 customers whose macros won't save despite all of Microsoft's proposed "remedies." In the age of Apple, how does increased complication and user frustration constitute an "upgrade"?

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