How to fix "run-time error '1004' for Excel Mac

Frederick Wong 0 Reputation points
2025-11-20T02:19:44.8533333+00:00

Why my Excel Mac keeps showing "run-time error '1004'"? And I can't find how to solve this "Addin" issue on my iMac. This doesn't appear on my other Apple devices such as MacBook and MacBook Pro.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | Other | MacOS
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  1. Q&A Assist
    2025-11-20T02:19:58.91+00:00
    AI generated content. This question contains an answer created with AI from Q&A Assist. Learn more

    The "run-time error '1004'" in Excel for Mac can occur for several reasons, especially related to add-ins or corrupted files. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot and potentially fix this issue:

    1. Check Add-ins: The error may be caused by a problematic add-in. You can try disabling any add-ins to see if that resolves the issue. Go to Tools > Excel Add-ins and uncheck any add-ins that are enabled.
    2. Corrupted Preferences: If the Excel preferences are corrupted, it can lead to errors. You may want to reset your Excel preferences. This can often be done by deleting the preference files, which are located in ~/Library/Preferences/. Look for files that start with com.microsoft.Excel and delete them.
    3. Background Programs: Sometimes, other programs running in the background can interfere with Excel. Try closing unnecessary applications and see if that helps.
    4. Reinstall Excel: If the problem persists, consider uninstalling and then reinstalling Excel. This can help if the application files are corrupted.
    5. Safe Mode: Start Excel in Safe Mode to see if the issue occurs there. If it doesn't, it may indicate that an add-in or other customizations are causing the problem.
    6. Update Excel: Ensure that your version of Excel is up to date. Sometimes, updates can fix bugs that lead to errors like this.

    If these steps do not resolve the issue, you may want to consult the official Microsoft support documentation or forums for more specific guidance related to your situation.


    References:

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  2. Thileep Kumar 2,605 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2025-11-20T06:17:33.18+00:00

    Are you currently using any Excel add-ins on your iMac (such as the Analysis ToolPak, Acrobat Excel Add-in, Power Query, or any third-party add-ins)? If so, please try disabling all add-ins:

    • Open Excel
    • Go to Tools > Excel Add-ins (or File > Options > Add-ins)
    • Uncheck all add-ins
    • Restart Excel and see if the error still occurs

    If the issue goes away, you can re-enable the add-ins one at a time to identify which one is causing the problem.

    For more details, you can refer to: https://support.microsoft.com/office/add-or-remove-add-ins-in-excel-0af570c4-5cf3-4fa9-9b88-403625a0b460

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