How to Extract VBA Code from XLSM File? Complete Guide

  author
Rollins Duke   
Published: August 27th, 2024 • 5 Min Read

Sometimes, situations occur when we need to extract VBA code from XLSM, but we don’t know how to do it. Don’t worry, here I will show you the quickest and most direct solution to retrieve VBA Code from XLSM Files using both manual and professional methods.

As we all know, Excel XLSM files are identical to Excel XLSM files with the exception that an extra file called VBAProject.bin is included in Excel XLSM files. This file may or may not have macros or functions. Excel employs a unique extension for each of the two file types in order to identify between them. This is done because files that include macros are often subject to extra security checks.

Some of the users’ queries that we have received regarding how to extract VBA code from XLSM are as follows:

“Hey, I have a file for an Excel VBA project that has macros, and I need the VBA code for that project so that I may incorporate it into another XLSM file. However, the issue is that it is not feasible to do so manually. As a result, I am on a hunt for a solution that would enable me to extract VBA code from XLSM. I humbly ask for your assistance.”

“Hello there, due to the fact that it contains VBA code, I decided to get an XLSM file from the Internet, which I want to implement into my project. The issue, however, is that the file is password protected. Hence, I need to open up that file and duplicate the VBA code that you provided. I would appreciate it if you could suggest me an efficient method for removing VBA code from XLSM files.”

Manual Methods to Retrieve VBA Code from XLSM File

Here, we will show you two manual methods to extract VBA code from XLSM files. All the steps are given below one by one:

Preparation: If your developer tab is not shown, then follow these steps:

  1. Open the XLSM files and hit the File tab >> Options from the list.
  2. Now hit the Customize Ribbon and enable the Developer tab.

Method 1: Copy Modules from One File to Another

  1. Open both XLSM files on your machine—the one that stores the VBA code and the other one where you want to extract code.
  2. Choose visual basic from the Developer tab to open the Visual Basic Editor.
  3. Select Project Explorer from the View menu and hit the CTRL+R keys on the keyboard.
  4. Drag and drop the module where you want to extract the code from the Project Explorer pane.

Your VBA code is successfully extracted into another file.

Method 2: Export and Import VBA Code

  1. Open the Visual Basic Editor on your machine.
  2. Select the required module that you want to extract.
  3. Right-click on the module and select the Export File icon from the list. Your file will be saved as a basic file (.bas extension).

    Export File to extract the VBA code for the XLSM

  4. Open another file and Visual Basic Editor.
  5. Once again, right click and select the Import File option.

    Import File

  6. Browse the file and import it.

As seen, manual procedures are quite straightforward; yet, there are always certain limitations involved. If, for example, your VBA code is password locked, or if your file becomes damaged, you will not be able to copy or extract the code from the XLSM file.

Don’t worry, we have another solution, which helps you to extract the VBA code for the XLSM file easily.

Direct Solution to Extract VBA Code from XLSM File

BitRecover VBA Macro Remover software is one of the best and most elegant tools to extract VBA code from XLSM files. The software has superior and advanced features, which allow users to remove macro from the file and easily retrieve VBA code from the XLSM file. The software also supports all types of Excel VBA project files including *.xls, *.xlsm, *.xlsb, *.xlam, *.xltm, *.xlt, and *.xla files. Some of the amazing features of the tool are mentioned below:

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Unique Features of the Software to Extract VBA Code from XLSM

  • The software has the power to extract VBA code from multiple XLSM files at one time.
  • The utility has a simple and user-friendly interface for all types of users technical and non-technical.
  • Users can easily install the software on all Windows OS including Windows 11, 10, 8, and other previous versions.
  • There are dual options to upload single and multiple XLSM files without any file size restrictions.
  • The software takes a few minutes to scan and preview all the data in just a few seconds.
  • This utility has advanced algorithms, which allow the software to remove the password from the XLSM files.
  • The software saves the extracted VBA code from the XLSM file in the txt file format at the desired location.

How to Extract VBA Code from XLSM Files?

    1. Download and run the tool on a Windows machine.

      run the tool to extract VBA code from XLSM files

    2. After that, upload the XLSM files using the Select Files or Select Folders option.

      upload the XLSM files

The tool scans all the data and shows it on the screen.

tool scans all the data

  1. Select the required data from the screen.

     select the required data to extract VBA code from XLSM files

  2. After that, select the required options from the list.

    select the required options

  3. Browse the location to save the extracted VBA code in the TXT format.

    browse the location

  4. Press the “Save Documents” icon to extract VBA code from XLSM files.

    press the “save documents” icon to extract VBA code from XLSM files

Time to Say Goodbye

In this write up, we have explained the process to extract VBA code from XLSM files by using both manual and professional methods. Even while manual techniques are effective, they do have certain drawbacks. Therefore, you need to seek assistance from a tool provided by a third party, such as BitRecover VBA Macro Remover, that has incredible and cutting-edge characteristics. The software also has a demo version, which allows customers to test out the various features and determine whether or not the full version meets their needs.