Folder Locations for Add-Ins

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated February 17, 2024)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


Fletcher asked if anyone knows of all the folder locations from which Word might load global add-ins. The answer—as with many such answers in Word—can vary based on the version of Word being discussed.

In Word 97 there was a single startup path, which was the path specified by choosing Tools | Options | File Locations and using the Startup file type. For the balance of this tip I will refer to this as the "historical startup folder."

Starting with Word 2000, Microsoft changed things so that Word now has two startup paths. It still recognizes the historical startup folder, but also uses a factory-preset startup folder. This second folder is called Startup, and it typically is located in the C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\ directory (although you can specify a different location during installation). You cannot modify the location of this folder, nor can you change it. If you delete the folder, Word immediately recreates it when you next start the program.

There may be other startup folders as well, and the paths to those folders can vary, depending on the version of Word you are using, the version of Windows you are using, and how you have your system configured. Fortunately, Word actually names these folders Startup, so it is a simple matter to use the Windows Search tool to locate all Startup folders. Examining the path to the folders will indicate if they are related to Word or not. For instance, you may find a Startup folder for Word in the Documents and Settings folder, as in C:\Documents and Settings\Allen\Application Data\Microsoft\Word\Startup. You may also find profile-specific startup folders if your version of Windows implements user profiles.

Even though Word may create additional startup folders, it doesn't mean that Word uses those folders. This may sound confusing, but all you need to do is remember that if you are using Word 97, then Word only uses the folder specified in Tools | Options | File Locations | Startup. If you are using Word 2000 or later, then Word uses that folder and the factory preset startup folder. Any other startup folders that may exist on your system are left over either from previous versions of Word or from no-longer-used folders from the current version. (For instance, you may no longer use C:\Documents and Settings\Allen\Application Data\Microsoft\Word\Startup—even though Word once pointed the historical startup folder to this location, you may have changed it to a different location. The original remains, but is no longer used by Word.)

Sound confusing? It can be. It gets even more confusing when you start to factor in upgrades to Word. When you run the Word Setup program, it looks for the startup folders used in earlier versions of Word and transfers information in those folders to the startup folders used by the newer version (the one being installed). The old folders and their contents remain on the hard drive, even though they are no longer used. Instead, the copied information, in the new folder locations, is what Word uses.

It is interesting to note that some Knowledge Base articles mistakenly imply that Word 2000 and Word 2002 will look for startup files in folders defined in earlier versions of Word. The Setup program does this, as described in the previous paragraph, but Word itself doesn't.

The change to using two paths, but only listing one of them in Tools | Options | File Locations, makes life very confusing for users, especially given that some programs install add-ins in the historical startup folder but many other badly programmed applications install them in the factory-preset startup folder. As a result of this confusion, users often end up with the same add-in loaded twice due to the same add-in having found its way into both startup folders.

More confusingly still, in Word 2002 and Word 2003, if you have Trust All Installed Templates and Add-ins check box selected (it is selected on the Tools | Options | Security | Macro Security | Trusted Sources dialog box by default), any add-ins that are in the historical startup folder are treated as being "installed add-ins" and are trusted, whereas add-ins in the factory-preset startup folder are treated by Word as not installed add-ins and are not trusted. That, obviously, brings up a question as to why Word automatically loads them if they are not trusted and are not considered installed.

Another interesting tidbit related to the startup folders is that when you start Word 97 with the /a switch so that global templates aren't loaded, you can still look in Tools | Options | File Locations to find out the path to the startup folder. Beginning with Word 2000, when you start the program using the /a switch, Word changes what is displayed in Tools | Options | File Locations. Instead of the path you specified, Word displays the default path. The upshot is that if an add-in is crashing Word and you start Word with the /a switch, you can't easily tell where the historical startup folder is located. This can send the user on a wild goose chase to try to find the renegade add-in file.

For more information on startup folders and troubleshooting some of the problems associated with them, refer to the following articles at the Word MVP site:

https://wordmvp.com/FAQs/Customization/CheckIfAddinsInstalled.htm
https://wordmvp.com/FAQs/Customization/WhatTemplatesStore.htm

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1602) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Determining the Length of a String

Need to find out in a macro how long a particular text string is? You can figure it out by using the Len function, ...

Discover More

Checking for a Security Certificate

Although Word macro viruses haven't been commonly used for some time now, hackers often try old, known techniques just to ...

Discover More

Template Changing On Its Own

When you attach a template to a document, you expect that template to stay attached. When you share the document with ...

Discover More

Learning Made Easy! Quickly teach yourself how to format, publish, and share your content using Word 2013. With Step by Step, you set the pace, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Check out Microsoft Word 2013 Step by Step today!

More WordTips (menu)

How to Turn Add-in Toolbar off by Default

Add-in programs for Word often add toolbars that offer whatever features the add-in enables. Sometimes you may not want ...

Discover More

Notification when Caps Lock is Active

You're typing along, look up at your screen, and notice that everything is in ALL CAPS. Drat! You activated the Caps Lock ...

Discover More

Changing the Maximum Undo Levels

Want to change the number of "undo" steps available when editing? You can't, because Word doesn't' really have a maximum. ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 5 + 5?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.

Videos
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.