Message: "PowerPoint couldn't load the add-in" followed by the full path to a file that doesn't exist
Problem
Every time you start PowerPoint 2007 or later, you see a message like:
PowerPoint couldn't load the add-in [filename]
The problem here is that a registry entry (possibly one left over from an earlier version of Office after an upgrade) calls for an add-in to load when PowerPoint starts up, but the add-in's file isn't there.
PowerPoint versions before 2007 took this kind of thing in stride. If they couldn't find an add-in file, they just quietly got on with the business of making presentations. Now PowerPoint feels obliged to obsessively natter at the user about it. Somebody at Microsoft thinks this is progress. Somebody at Microsoft needs to be spanked.
Solution
Add-ins can load from several places (always in the registry) and depending on where they're loaded from, they may or may not appear on PowerPoint's add-ins lists.
If you're ready for a bit of registry-diving, here's how you'll fix the problem:
- Start PowerPoint and jot down each of the add-ins it complains about.
- Go into PowerPoint Options | Addins and get a list of all the addins, COM and PPA/PowerPoint, that ARE currently loaded. You don't want to delete them by accident.
- Quit PowerPoint.
- Start REGEDIT.
In REGEDIT, you're going to go to these areas:
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\X.X\PowerPoint\AddIns
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\X.X\PowerPoint\AddIns
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Office\X.X\PowerPoint\AddIns
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Office\X.X\PowerPoint\AddIns
For X.X above, substitute each of 8.0, 9.0, 10.0, 11,0, 12.0 14.0, 15.0, 16.0 (there's no 13.0).
The WOW6532 may or may not exist, depending on your setup. If it's not there, don't worry about it.
Under each of these, look for sub-folders, one for each add-in that PowerPoint's complaining about. Each PPA add-in will have Default, Path and AutoLoad values. Verify that the path points to the PPA that PowerPoint's barking about then delete the entire folder, three values and all.
You may also find an entry pointing to an add-in called MASTTBAR.PPA It's the main add-in for all of the PPTools add-ins. If PowerPoint's complaining about it, delete it. Or if you want to keep your PPTools add-ins, download and run the most recent installers for them to fix the problem.
Again, do NOT delete the folders that point to add-ins that PPT's already been able to load; you only want to whack the ones it's complaining about.
Also check HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\PowerPoint\Addins for strays.