PowerPoint blocked the add-in

If PowerPoint shows a macro warning, an expired certificate message, “For some reason [add-in] cannot be added”, or a greyed-out add-in, it has blocked the file for security reasons. Your purchase is fine. Work through the fixes below in order; the first two solve almost every case.

Caution

Never lower your macro security or loosen Trust Center settings to get around these warnings. Install the latest signed version of the add-in instead.

Windows blocked the downloaded file

Windows blocks downloaded .ppam add-in files by default, which shows up as a macro or security warning and an add-in that won’t load. Unblocking the file clears it.

1. Close PowerPoint completely.
2. Right-click the downloaded .ppam file and choose Properties.
3. Tick Unblock if it appears, then click OK.
4. Reopen PowerPoint and add the add-in again.

If Unblock isn’t shown, you’re likely on Mac. There’s no Unblock step there, so move on to the next fix.

The certificate has expired

Every Bearwood Labs add-in is digitally signed, and those signing certificates expire on a schedule. When one lapses, PowerPoint stops trusting the old file and warns you. The fix is to install the latest version, which is freshly signed with a current certificate.

1. Download the latest version from the product’s download page. See find your product if you’re not sure where that is.
2. Close PowerPoint, then install or replace the add-in with the new file.
3. Reopen PowerPoint.

See Updating an add-in for the full step-by-step.

Note

A certificate lapse never affects PowerPoint files, PDFs, or resources you’ve already created. Updating also keeps your license and add-in settings; it’s just a swap of the add-in itself. On Mac you generally won’t see the Windows certificate warning at all.

The installer says “access denied” or Code 5

This means a file is still in use, usually because PowerPoint or another Office app is open in the background.

1. Close PowerPoint and every other Office app.
2. Run the installer again.
3. If it still fails, restart your computer and try once more.

Windows says only Store apps are allowed

If Windows blocks the installer and says only apps from the Microsoft Store can be installed, your PC is in Windows S Mode. S Mode only allows Store apps, so you’ll need to switch out of S Mode before any Bearwood Labs installer will run.

Your antivirus removed the file

Some antivirus software quietly deletes or quarantines downloaded .ppam files, so the add-in seems to vanish or never appears after you add it. Check your antivirus quarantine, restore the file, and add it to your antivirus allow list so it isn’t removed again. Then re-add the add-in in PowerPoint.

The add-in disappeared from the ribbonRe-enable an add-in that's inactive or disabled in PowerPoint.

Something not covered here? See contact support.