If you’ve ever run or written a macro for PowerPoint, Excel or Word on a Windows PC you’ll probably be familiar with the Developer tab. Move over to the Mac and you’ll be able to turn on the Mac Developer tab for both Excel and Word but it simply doesn’t exist for PowerPoint. Until now!
The developer tab allows you to run macros in a file and develop them yourself. On a Windows PC in PowerPoint this tab is not visible by default, you have to go to the customisation settings to turn it on via File / Options / Customize Ribbon. Similarly, to access the developer tab in Excel on a Mac you have to turn it on under Excel / Preferences / View as you can see at the bottom of this window:
In the Microsoft 365 Mac version of PowerPoint, there’s no such option. There have been lots of folk requesting that Microsoft bring the Developer tab to PowerPoint but for now, the request has been turned down. So what can we do about it?
We’ve developed a simplified version of the Mac developer tab seen in Excel that you can download for free. You’ll need to be running the 2016 or Microsoft 365 version of PowerPoint (as there’s no ribbon in PowerPoint 2011).
Here’s what you need to do:
*To access the ~/Library folder in Finder, click the Go button whilst holding the alt key and then click Library. You can then navigate to the required folder and then drag it to the side bar to create a shortcut.
You can now see the brand new Developer tab ‘lite’ in the ribbon:
It’s referred to as ‘lite’ because the controls group that you find on Windows is missing:
This is because ActiveX controls are built on a Windows-only technology and hence Microsoft cannot support this type of control on Office for macOS. You’ll see ‘controls’ in the Excel for macOS developer tab but these are Form Controls and again, ActiveX controls are not available there either.
You see that row of icons in the top orange title bar on macOS? That’s called the Quick Access Toolbar and we’ve got another free customisation file that you can download here to elevate your presentation creation productivity to new heights. Learn more about our QAT for Mac.
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You can do some really cool things in Microsoft Office with just a few lines of Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) - from creating your own custom formula in Excel to correcting branded content in PowerPoint to merging address data for a mail campaign in Word. And sometimes you need to share that VBA solution with colleagues and clients, via the Internet. A change that Microsoft rolled out at the end of March 2022 tweaks the process required by Windows users to gain access to this active content.
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Tell me more!Throughout all stages of this project we have had a world class experience. The team was uber-responsive and open to feedback and collaboration to ensure we were getting the best presentation possible.
Marc Chaanine Jamaica Bearings
This is very cool, Jamie.
Thank you very much Geetesh 🙂
Once I click on the + sign in Tools/Powerpoint Add-ins there does not seem to be a way to browse to ~Library/Application Scripts/com.microsoft.Powerpoint
There are several ways to get to this special folder Doug. The way I do it is to open Finder, click Go in the macOS menu bar with the option key held. That shows the user’s Library folder. You can then click on that and navigate to the required Application Script folder for PowerPoint. Once there, drag it to the sidebar to create a shortcut. Once it’s there, you can easily get to it from PowerPoint.
Hi Jamie, this was really helpful. Thank you for that.
I see the new tab but unfortunately I can’t see the QAT and also, when I click on the Visual Basic function, I get a
“Run-time error ‘5’: Invalid procedure call or argument” error message.
Any idea what I’ve done wrong?
Thanks again!
Hi Dinesh. That error is a very generic once raised in lots of situations but in this cause it probably means the script file couldn’t be found. Did you manage to download the DevTabMacPPT.scpt file and save it in the required folder? It goes in the user’s Library here: ~/Library/Application Scripts/com.microsoft.Powerpoint
Hello Jamie,
I’m having the same issue as Dinesh. I checked and I did save the DevTabMacPPT.scpt file in the required folder, but still having the same issue. I don’t seem to find a solution to this.
Any idea?
Thank you
Dinesh/Francesco: would either of you be able to share your screen on a Zoom call so I can look at this? If so, please use the contact link at the top of the page and address the message to me.
Hi, Jamie! Thank you a lot for your hard work. Could please tell how to create the add-in folder? , I can’t make head or tail of it ? ( I tried to apply one method you suggested in the comments , but it’s no success)
Hi, Jamie! I figured out how to create a folder just right after having left a comment)))) but now I have another problem. While browsing to the folder where I saved the add-in, I simply can’t find it. I guess I do smth not right )) Thank you a lot
Hi, Jamie! I am finally succeed to add everything. But now it says run-time error 5…what should I do, could you tell me please ? I added script to the folder . Thank you a lot for your time . P.s I am just a beginner with those kind of things
Hi Julia (and Dinesh, Francesco) . The ‘error 5’ can happen on some versions of macOS that don’t prompt you to allow PowerPoint to access the script file. Gatekeeper is a tricky little beast! Thank you to Oren for figuring this out 🙂 We’ve updated the add-in to prompt users to do this here: System Preferences / Security & Privacy / Accessibility (then unlock and tick the box next to PowerPoint). We’re also updating the article above with this info and a screenshot.
easy to use but the activeX Controls that are present in Excel are missing
Hi Tony. That’s correct. They are completely missing from Microsoft’s implementation of PowerPoint for macOS. With Excel you can customise the ribbon and see them listed under All Commands but they just don’t exist in PowerPoint. Having said that, you could use standard shapes with action callbacks to get some slide show interactivity on macOS.
Hi Jamie,
Thanks a lot for the add-in and straightforward description. Installation worked for me immediately for Powerpoint 2016.
Thanks for confirming Kai.
Hi Jamie, Thanks-I followed all of the steps unfortunately when I navigate to it, it is greyed out. I also enabled ppt to make changes through security and permissions. I am running the most recent version of ppt (16.45).
I wonder if VBA is installed on your machine. Can you reach the VBE window via Tools / Macros… / Visual Basic Editor?
Thank you for this. Is it possible to get the Controls back as well? I need them to enable annotation during slideshows (I know you can draw on slides during slideshows but you cannot type, which is frustrating)
Unfortunately the controls haven’t been provided for PowerPoint by Microsoft.
Hi Jamie, Thanks a lot for the instructions and the add-in, I installed and saved the files in the proper locations, imported the add-in then check the accessibility in system preferences, great, but there are no controls when I click on the developer tab, I only see, Visual Basic which does nothing when click on it, Macros, store, pp add-in bottoms, but nothing else. I needed to add “editable text” on my presentation but I dont see any of the tools or controls under the developer tab 🙁 Could you help
Unfortunately the controls haven’t been provided for PowerPoint by Microsoft.
I placed the add-in in the right folder, and when i want to select it within Powerpoint Extra menu > Powerpoint Add-ins, it’s greyed out.
SaveasAdobePDF was already added and is in the same folder.
It doesn’t let me add it. What to do? I use the office 365 version.
Do you mean the “PowerPoint Add-ins…” item is greyed out in the Tools menu? If so, we’ve not seen that before but it might be that it’s been disabled by an IT admin (assuming your Mac is in a corporate environment). If that’s not the case, this article refers to Excel but the update part of it may be relevant for you: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/excel-add-ins-greyed-out-in-tools-menu-on-mac/15150ee3-3bc2-4717-80ef-3341889afd6d
Hello Jamie,
I’m excited I found your sight but am having trouble with executing my macros code.
One gives me a mismatch error and another doesn’t have any errors but it is suppose to let me change the color of one object depending on the first object you click.
While I realize that this could be a mistake in my code, I am using code that has been used on other machines, let it be windows. It doesn’t use any active X stuff either.
Do you have any clue what is up? It seems to me almost if the file I got was corrupted but usuallable. maybe I’ll reinstall.
Hi Bryant and thanks for reaching out to us. We offer a macro development service should you wish us to help out with your code. Please use the Contact button at the top of the site if that’s of interest. You could also post your code and question on a site such as StackOverflow where it may get answered at no cost.
I was able to download the file and it shows the developer tab. I also gave permission on my mac to run PowerPoint in my security but it still does not allow me to use the tools. Can you advise me on what I am doing wrong. I want to create a drag and drop exercise for learning. TIA
Hi Kirstin and thanks for the question. What do you mean by “does not allow me to use the tools”. You cannot open the VBE (VBA Editor) or something else? Can you open the VBE via Tools / Macro / Visual Basic Editor? If not, it may be disabled by security policy by an IT admin.
I have used the developer tab tools in word for designing forms. I know the limitations in Mac.
But I thought this developer tool was sort of the same. But there are no tools in this one.
Is it possible to do a scrollbar with your Developer tool?
I would like to make one for a navigation tab.
Right now nothing happens when I clicking on the new icon – except that the Add on window appears.
There I have the “Developer tab for Mac” ticked. I click OK again and nothing happens.
I have installed correctly, made changes in the System Preferences, and added the “com.microsoft.Powerpoint” folder to the sidebar. Restarted PowerPoint.
… icon is visible in PPT but when clicking on it the Add on windows appear again.
Hi Camilla. You mention that there are no “Tools”. The equivalent tool on Windows are ActiveX controls and this is a Windows-only technology so there is no equivalent from Microsoft unfortunately. If you’re designing on-slide input fields then you could take a look at the Forms add-in from Microsoft. To do this, go to the Insert tab and click the “Get Add-ins” button. from there you can search for “Forms: and activate the add-in.
Hi Jamie,
This is amazing, however, I have the greyed out Visual Basic Editor issue. It is a personal Mac so should not have any limitations that I know of, can you confirm how I can turn on Visual Basic Editor? Happy to have my work admin do it if it’s tied to our Microsoft 365.
Thank you!
Hi Jamie, thanks so much for this.. I’ve added Powerpoint to privacy/security permissions but I still get this message when I click on Visual Basic: Couldn’t send command. You need to give permission for PowerPoint to access the dev tab script file. You can do that here: System Preferences / Security & Privacy / Accessibility
Please advise what I should do. Thanks a billion. Aris
Hi Aris. I just followed the instructions on a clean Mac and when I click the PowerPoint Add-Ins button in the ribbon I see this sequence of dialogs:
1. “Microsoft PowerPoint wants access to control System Events” – Select OK.
2. “Microsoft PowerPoint would like to control this computer using Accessibility features” – Open System settings.
3. The system settings window opens and you toggle the button for Microsoft PowerPoint as described in the article above.
I am also still getting that message after adding it to accessibility. Did you end up figuring it out?
I can’t open the editor even though I click the button.
it does not work
Hi
is it possible to share your code to view and modify? I have similar tool in MS PowerPoint in Windows, but I can not load it to MAC PowerPoint version and I get the following error:
PowerPoint couldn’t load the add-in “/Users/sf901226/Add-Ins/Tools.ppam”
Hello I am a little confused at this step which I am sure is very simple.
Download the Developer Tab for Mac add-in file and save it in this folder*: (you might need to create the Add-Ins folder yourself)
~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/User Content/Add-Ins
Download the supporting DevTabMacPPT script file and save it in this folder*:
~/Library/Application Scripts/com.microsoft.Powerpoint
I don’t know how to get it to save once I created the add-ins folder.
I have downloaded the two things but when I want to go the next steps under accessibility they are greyed out and won’t let me add. I am using the latest Mac iOS for MacBook Air.
Thank you for any help you able to provide.
Like Bob and Wolfgang mentioned, it doesn’t seem to work in later versions like the one I have installed in 2024.
I followed all the instructions and I already had an empty “Add-ins” folder in the “User Content” folder, where I placed the file “Developer tab for mac.ppam” which displays as a Powerpoint style type of icon.
The Developer tab appears but indeed nothing happens when I click on the “Visual Basic” button. The “Macros” button comes up with a window however.
Hi Kristian, Bob & Wolfgang. This add-in is very simple and all it does is ask the accompanying script file to send the corresponding keyboard keystrokes to get to the right menu. Opening the VBE for example uses Alt+F11. Maybe that has been changed in the macOS settings? This is the AppleScript function behind the Visual Basic button:
on VisualBasic()
— Send the key sequence to open the VBE (Alt+F11)
tell application “System Events” to key code 103 using option down
end VisualBasic
I am having the same problem as Kristian, Bob & Wolfgang….. Yes the instructions make it sound simple but they do not work for recording in PPT.
I love the concept, but I just wish it worked.
Hi Ashley – what happens when you press Alt+F11 with a PowerPoint file open and its window selected? If it doesn’t open the Visual Basic Editor, could it be that your keyboard mapping has been customised? I’ve also updated the script file to address a change in behaviour in macOS menus whereby pressing the up key after opening the menu with the down key does not take you to the last item in that menu. You can therefore simulate what the PowerPoint Add-ins button does by pressing this key sequence: Ctrl+F2 to activate the macOS menu bar, right 8 times, down, left, right, up, enter.