How to Add the Developer Tab in MS Excel 2016

Author:
Joshua Crowder
Updated date:
Dec 31, 2021

Joshua is a graduate student at the USF. He has interests in business technology, analytics, finance, and lean six sigma.

Adding the developer tab in excel is an easy task and essential to furthering programming knowledge of Microsoft Excel. When you add the developer to the ribbon plenty of options are open for your disposal.
Created by Joshua Crowder

Developer Tab Uses

The above 'Developer' tab shown in the screenshot above is not visible unless you activate it from the options menu. Adding this tab will open the doors to adding and managing Excel add-ins, changing certain worksheet properties, inserting both form and ActiveX controls, allowing access to visual basic and macro tools, and more.

More than likely, you are here because you are a somewhat advanced Excel user and you are ready to take the next step to learn developer skills. Otherwise, you are just curious to see what is behind that door. Either way, the instructions below will make the tab visible.

Steps to Making the Developer Tab Visable

First, click on the file button in the top left-hand corner of the screen and then click on the “Options” button in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen.

This illustration shows the file menu options screen which is the first step to adding the developer tab to an Excel workbook. Additionally, it shows where to click at the bottom of the menu to open the Excel options.
Created by Joshua Crowder

Next, after the 'Excel Options' window appears, click on the 'Customize Ribbon' button located in the list of options on the left side of the Excel Options window.

how-to-add-the-developer-tab-to-ms-excel-2016 — Created by Joshua Crowder

Lastly, find the 'Developer' option under 'Main Tabs' and click the check box beside it. Click on the 'OK' button at the bottom right-hand corner of the Excel Options window and you are done.

Scroll to Continue

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Now the Developer tab is visible under your main menu options.

Additional Resource

Please see the video below for more help on adding the developer tab to Microsoft Excel.

Adding the Developer Tab

References

Crowder, J. (2020, January 1). How to Add the Developer Tab in Excel. Retrieved January 1, 2020, from https://youtu.be/nskuG6pK5ig.

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To learn more about developing in Excel, I recommend taking a look at the book Microsoft Excel 2019 VBA and Macros (Business Skills) by Bill Jelen to enhance your skills.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.