[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"extension:v3:en:xlam":3},{"resolvedFromAlias":4,"canonicalExt":5,"ext":5,"name":6,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"updatedAt":9,"popularity":10,"summary":11,"howToOs":12,"quickAnswer":18,"answerIntro":19,"whatIs":20,"description":21,"furtherReading":22,"openInstructions":38,"commonIssues":50,"securityNotes":69,"faq":73,"aliases":83,"mimeTypes":84,"relatedExtensions":86,"breadcrumbs":134,"categoryAnchor":144,"categoryFuturePath":145,"metaDescription":146,"availableHowToOs":147,"openOnDeviceLinks":148,"cannotOpenReasons":164,"cannotOpenFixes":165,"convertOptions":166,"securityAffiliateMessaging":167,"securityAffiliates":168},false,"xlam","Microsoft Excel Macro-Enabled Add-In","documents","Documents","2026-06-12T09:23:19.557Z",55,".xlam is a Microsoft Excel add-in format that can contain macros and custom functions. It is typically opened and installed through Excel as an add-in rather than “viewed” like a workbook.",[13,14,15,16,17],"windows","mac","linux","ios","android","To open .XLAM files on Windows, open Microsoft Excel.","To open a .xlam file, use Microsoft Excel and load it as an add-in. Because .xlam files are macro-enabled, only enable them if you trust the source.",".xlam is the file extension used for an Excel add-in that is macro-enabled, meaning it can include VBA macros and custom functions used within Excel. Microsoft’s documentation explicitly identifies “Excel add-in (.xlam)” as an add-in type and notes that an Excel add-in will have the .xlam extension.",".xlam is the modern Excel add-in format used to package reusable Excel functionality—such as custom functions, automation macros, and tools you want available across workbooks. Instead of opening as a typical spreadsheet document, it is usually loaded into Excel so its features appear in the Excel UI and are available in the current session (or persistently, depending on how it is installed).",[23,26,29,32,35],{"title":24,"url":25},"Media Types - IANA (includes application/vnd.ms-excel.addin.macroEnabled.12)","https://www.iana.org/assignments/media-types/index.html",{"title":27,"url":28},"Add or remove add-ins in Excel - Microsoft Support","https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/office/add-or-remove-add-ins-in-excel-0af570c4-5cf3-4fa9-9b88-403625a0b460?appver=zxl900&helpid=119910&ns=excel&syslcid=2057&uilcid=2057&version=90",{"title":30,"url":31},"Create custom functions in Excel - Microsoft Support","https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/excel/create-custom-functions-in-excel",{"title":33,"url":34},"List of Microsoft Office filename extensions - Wikipedia (.xlam)","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Microsoft_Office_filename_extensions",{"title":36,"url":37},"FileInfo: XLAM File - What is an .xlam file and how do I open it?","https://fileinfo.com/extension/xlam",{"windows":39,"macos":42,"linux":45,"ios":47,"android":49},[40,41],"Open Microsoft Excel.","Go to the Add-ins manager in Excel and add/enable the file type “Excel add-in (.xlam)” (browse to the .xlam file if needed).",[43,44],"Open Microsoft Excel for Mac.","Use Excel’s add-ins management to add/enable the “Excel add-in (.xlam)” file (browse to the .xlam file if needed).",[46],".xlam files are intended for Microsoft Excel; if you don’t have Excel available on Linux, transfer the file to a Windows or macOS system with Excel to load it as an add-in.",[48],".xlam is an Excel add-in format; if your Excel app cannot load it as an add-in, open it on a desktop version of Excel (Windows/macOS) and install it there.",[48],[51,57,63],{"title":52,"description":53,"steps":54},"Excel opens, but the add-in features don’t appear","A .xlam typically needs to be installed/checked in Excel’s add-ins list; double-clicking may not reliably activate it as an add-in in every setup.",[55,56],"In Excel, use the add-ins management options and add/enable the “Excel add-in (.xlam)” file.","If it’s listed but not active, uncheck it, close Excel, reopen Excel, then re-check it.",{"title":58,"description":59,"steps":60},"Macros or custom functions are blocked",".xlam is macro-enabled, so Excel’s macro security settings or trust decisions can prevent the add-in’s code from running.",[61,62],"If prompted, only enable the add-in’s macros when you trust the source.","If macros are disabled and you trust the file, review Excel’s macro/security prompts and re-load the add-in.",{"title":64,"description":65,"steps":66},"Wrong application tries to open the file","File associations may point .xlam to a different program, but .xlam is specifically an Excel macro-enabled add-in.",[67,68],"Open Microsoft Excel first, then load the .xlam via Excel’s add-ins management rather than opening it from the file manager.","On Windows/macOS, change the default app association for .xlam to Microsoft Excel if needed.",[70,71,72],".xlam files are macro-enabled add-ins and can contain executable macro code; treat them as potentially risky when they come from untrusted sources.","Only enable or install a .xlam add-in if you trust who provided it and understand why you need it; enabling macros grants code execution within Excel.","If you received a .xlam unexpectedly (email/download), verify its origin before loading it into Excel’s add-ins list.",[74,77,80],{"question":75,"answer":76},"What is a .xlam file used for?","It’s an Excel macro-enabled add-in used to provide reusable features such as macros and custom functions inside Excel.",{"question":78,"answer":79},"Is .xlam the same as .xlsx?","No. .xlsx is a workbook format, while .xlam is an add-in format intended to be loaded into Excel to extend functionality and can include macros.",{"question":81,"answer":82},"What MIME type is associated with .xlam?","A commonly used MIME type for Excel macro-enabled add-ins is application/vnd.ms-excel.addin.macroEnabled.12.",[],[85],"application/vnd.ms-excel.addin.macroEnabled.12",[87,93,99,105,111,116,122,128],{"ext":88,"name":89,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"popularity":90,"summary":91,"howToOs":92},"pdf","Portable Document Format",100,"PDF files maintain consistent formatting across devices and are widely used for documents that require a fixed layout, such as forms and reports.",[13,14,15,16,17],{"ext":94,"name":95,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"popularity":96,"summary":97,"howToOs":98},"docx","Microsoft Word Open XML Document",98,"DOCX files are widely used word-processing documents created by Microsoft Word, supporting rich text and multimedia elements.",[13,14,15,16,17],{"ext":100,"name":101,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"popularity":102,"summary":103,"howToOs":104},"xlsx","Microsoft Excel Open XML Spreadsheet",92,"XLSX files are widely-used spreadsheet files that store data, formulas, and charts, and are compatible with various spreadsheet applications.",[13,14,15,16,17],{"ext":106,"name":107,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"popularity":108,"summary":109,"howToOs":110},"log","Plain-text Log File",85,".log files are typically plain-text logs that record events, messages, and errors from software or operating systems. They can usually be opened with basic text editors on any platform.",[13,14,15,16,17],{"ext":112,"name":113,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"popularity":108,"summary":114,"howToOs":115},"pptx","Microsoft PowerPoint Open XML Presentation","PPTX files are widely used for creating and sharing presentation decks with multimedia content.",[13,14,15,16,17],{"ext":117,"name":118,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"popularity":119,"summary":120,"howToOs":121},"txt","Plain Text File",82,"TXT files contain plain text and can be opened on any operating system with a variety of text editors.",[13,14,15,16,17],{"ext":123,"name":124,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"popularity":125,"summary":126,"howToOs":127},"xlsm","Excel Macro-Enabled Workbook (Office Open XML)",75,".xlsm is an Office Open XML Excel workbook that can contain VBA macros. Open it in Microsoft Excel; be cautious because macros can run code.",[13,14,15,16,17],{"ext":129,"name":130,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"popularity":131,"summary":132,"howToOs":133},"ppsx","PowerPoint Show (Office Open XML Slideshow)",70,".ppsx is a Microsoft PowerPoint “Show” file that is designed to open directly in Slide Show mode instead of the normal editing view.",[13,14,15,16,17],[135,138,141],{"label":136,"to":137},"Home","/",{"label":139,"to":140},"File Extension Index","/file-extension",{"label":142,"to":143},".XLAM","/file-extension/xlam","category-documents","/category/documents","Learn what .XLAM files are, how to open them on every platform, common fixes, and security best practices.",[13,14,15,16,17],[149,152,155,158,161],{"os":13,"label":150,"to":151},"Open .XLAM on Windows","/how-to/open-xlam-on-windows",{"os":14,"label":153,"to":154},"Open .XLAM on Mac","/how-to/open-xlam-on-mac",{"os":15,"label":156,"to":157},"Open .XLAM on Linux","/how-to/open-xlam-on-linux",{"os":16,"label":159,"to":160},"Open .XLAM on iOS","/how-to/open-xlam-on-ios",{"os":17,"label":162,"to":163},"Open .XLAM on Android","/how-to/open-xlam-on-android",[52,58,64],[55,56],[],"untrusted_source",[169,173],{"name":170,"description":171,"affiliateUrl":172},"Avast","Avast offers free and premium antivirus software that protects against viruses, malware, ransomware, and phishing. Scan files before opening them to ensure safety.","https://www.avast.com/lp-aff-consumer-store?expid=inf601",{"name":174,"description":175,"affiliateUrl":176},"Norton","Norton 360 delivers comprehensive antivirus protection, VPN, and identity theft monitoring. Scan files for threats before opening to keep your device secure.","http://buy.norton.com/aff_home?utm_campaign=en-ww_nor_n36_aff_nas_nau_nah_cj_nad_low:_sec_nat_mktc_norton_360"]