Excel VBA, macros and add-ins on Mac: run Excel for Windows
Plenty of business workbooks are built on Excel for Windows: macros that call Windows functions, COM add-ins from finance and industry software, ActiveX buttons and date pickers, and Power Pivot data models. CrossDriver App runs Excel for Windows on your Mac, so those workbooks behave exactly as they do on a PC.
Every Pro feature is free during the preview, until December 31, 2026
Excel for Windows on a Mac today
Excel for Mac opens the same .xlsx and .xlsm files, but macros run in a sandbox that blocks Windows functions and other programs, third-party COM add-ins and ActiveX controls aren't supported, and there is no Power Pivot data model.
What you get with the Windows version
VBA macros in full, including Windows API calls and automation of other programs
COM add-ins: your company's own and the ones that come with industry software
ActiveX controls on sheets and forms
Power Pivot: relate several tables and pivot across them
Versions with a ready-made setup
Pick one in the Setup Center of CrossDriver App. It creates its own environment, installs the components the app needs and runs the official installer; you bring the installer and your license.
Microsoft Office 2016 (retail key) Experimental
Office 2016 retail, Click-to-Run Version 2002 (16.0.12527.22286, x64)
Download Office 2016 from Microsoft and activate it with your own Office 2016 retail product key (Home & Student, Home & Business, Professional and others).
What you need Bring your own Office 2016 retail product key. You enter it in Office and Office activates online with Microsoft; CrossDriver never activates or bypasses activation.
Good to know
Office 2016 activates through Office's own licensing service (OSPP), which runs on Windows 7; that is why this container reports Windows 7. Office 2019, 2021 and 2024 keys can't be used here.
On first launch Office asks for your product key. If the key is for a different edition (for example Home & Student), Office downloads that edition from Microsoft and restarts; keep the Mac online.
Updates stay off: this is the last Office build Microsoft still serves for Windows 7.
PowerPoint needs Office's own riched20.dll; the compatibility layer already sets this for POWERPNT.EXE.
If an app failed to start once, the next start asks about safe mode; answer No.
.NET Framework 4.8 and the IE11 engine are downloaded from Microsoft and generated on this Mac; you confirm Microsoft's license terms once for each.
Only Microsoft's own setup program is run. Don't use third-party activation tools that come with downloaded packages: CrossDriver supports only Microsoft's own activation.
Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2016 (volume license) Experimental
2016 Professional Plus, volume license MSI (16.0.4266.1001, x64)
Install Office Professional Plus 2016 from your organization's volume license (VLSC) media and activate it with your MAK or KMS.
What you need Bring your organization's volume license. You enter the MAK in Office (or Office finds your KMS host) and Office activates with Microsoft or your KMS; CrossDriver never activates or bypasses activation.
Good to know
Office 2016 activates through Office's own licensing service (OSPP), which runs on Windows 7; that is why this container reports Windows 7.
MAK: open any app, File > Account > Change Product Key, enter your MAK, then let Office activate online.
PowerPoint needs Office's own riched20.dll; the compatibility layer already sets this for POWERPNT.EXE.
If an app failed to start once, the next start asks about safe mode; answer No.
.NET Framework 4.8 and the IE11 engine are downloaded from Microsoft and generated on this Mac; you confirm Microsoft's license terms once for each.
Only Microsoft's own setup program is run. Don't use third-party activation tools that come with downloaded packages: CrossDriver supports only Microsoft's own activation.
Microsoft Office 2016 (MSI media, 32-bit) Experimental
2016 Professional Plus / Standard / Visio / Project, MSI media (32-bit)
Install Office 2016, Visio 2016 or Project 2016 from your own MSI media (volume or retail) with Microsoft's setup wizard, and activate with your own key.
What you need Bring your own license. You enter the key in Microsoft's setup or in Office; Office activates with Microsoft or your KMS. CrossDriver never activates or bypasses activation.
Good to know
Office 2010–2016 activates through Office's own licensing service (OSPP), which runs on Windows 7; that is why this container reports Windows 7. Enter your product key in the setup wizard or later under File > Account.
Only Microsoft's own setup program is run. Don't use third-party activation tools that come with downloaded packages: CrossDriver supports only Microsoft's own activation.
Microsoft 365 Apps (online install, latest) Experimental
Microsoft 365 Apps, Current Channel, latest build (online installer, x64, zh-CN)
Install the latest Microsoft 365 Apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Outlook and more) with Microsoft's own online installer. Office downloads itself from Microsoft during setup.
Needs a Microsoft 365 subscription; sign-in support is limited
Microsoft 365 apps are licensed by signing in, not by product key. On CrossDriver, work or school accounts can sign in; personal Microsoft accounts cannot sign in yet. Whether Office then shows as licensed has not been verified yet.
Alternatives
Native Office for Mac: retail Office 2021/2024 (Home & Student, Home & Business …) installs on a Mac with the same license; organizations can get Office LTSC Standard for Mac 2024
What you need Needs your own Microsoft 365 subscription: sign in inside Office to activate. CrossDriver never activates Office for you.
Good to know
Setup downloads about 3–4 GB from Microsoft; on a slow connection this takes hours. Keep the Mac awake and CrossDriver open until the setup step finishes.
Until you sign in with a Microsoft 365 account that has an Office license, Office runs unlicensed (title bar says so).
On first launch Office shows Microsoft's privacy notice; click Next once.
Excel and PowerPoint need Office's own riched20.dll; the compatibility layer already sets this for EXCEL.EXE and POWERPNT.EXE.
If an app failed to start once, the next start asks about safe mode; answer No.
.NET Framework 4.8 and the IE11 engine are downloaded from Microsoft and generated on this Mac; you confirm Microsoft's license terms once for each.
The labels are the ones the App shows. Experimental: works in our tests but not yet verified end to end on every Mac. Known issues: works, with the limits listed.
How to run Excel for Windows on your Mac
Download CrossDriver AppDrag it into Applications like any other Mac app. The preview includes every Pro feature for free, and the free edition needs no account.
Drag in the installerOr pick an app in the Setup Center. CrossDriver App gets the runtimes, fonts and settings it needs ready for you.
Open it like a Mac appDouble-click and go. Add it to Applications, and from then on open it from Launchpad or Spotlight.
Questions about Excel for Windows on a Mac
Do Excel macros work on a Mac?
Many do in Excel for Mac, but macros that call Windows functions, use ActiveX controls or need COM add-ins don't. In Excel for Windows, running in CrossDriver App, they work as they do on a PC.
Which Excel versions work?
Excel from Office 2016 activates with your own retail key or volume license. Microsoft 365 Excel works with a work or school account; personal Microsoft accounts can't sign in yet. Excel 2019, 2021 and 2024 install but can't be activated.
Will my add-in install?
Most COM add-ins install with their own Windows installer, just like on a PC. Try yours with the free edition before buying.
Do I lose Excel for Mac?
No. Keep using it for everyday files and open the Windows version for the workbooks that need it.
Try Excel for Windows on your Mac
Every Pro feature is free during the preview, until December 31, 2026
