Why do we not have full Excel for IOS in 2026?

Hi @Nicholas Miller 

Welcome to the Microsoft Q&A forum. 

Thank you so much for taking the time to share this with us. I completely understand how important it is to be able to rely on your iPad Pro for your day‑to‑day work, especially when it’s powerful enough to handle almost everything you throw at it. Not being able to run even a simple macro can definitely disrupt your workflow, and I can see why that would feel limiting. 

At the moment, Excel for iOS is still designed as a lightweight companion version rather than a full desktop‑equivalent app. This means features like VBA macros aren’t supported on iPad or iPhone, and there’s no announced timeline for when or if full macro support will arrive. Microsoft’s current direction is shifting automation toward Office Scripts on web rather than expanding VBA into mobile apps. 

That said, I want to make sure you still have options that help you get your work done smoothly. Here are a few reliable approaches many customers use today: 

• Remote Desktop: If you need to run macros on the go, using Microsoft Remote Desktop to connect to your PC or Mac lets you open and run your full Excel environment from your iPad. This is the closest experience to desktop Excel and supports all your VBA workflows.  
• Office Scripts (if suitable): If your macros mainly automate data tasks, some VBA can be translated into Office Scripts for cross‑platform use via Excel for the web. 
• Edit on iPad, run macros later: You can still open your macro‑enabled workbook on the iPad, make data edits, save to OneDrive, and run the macro later on desktop Excel. The file syncs back seamlessly. 

As a forum moderator, I hope you understand that I don’t have the ability to modify or escalate product issues directly. However, I strongly recommend submitting your feedback through the Microsoft 365 Feedback Hub .This is the most effective way to ensure your voice reaches the product team and can be considered for future improvements.         

Once you've submitted your feedback, feel free to share the link here in the comments. I’ll be happy to upvote it to help bring more visibility.   

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Thank you again for your time and for raising this important usability concern.   

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iOS Excel can’t host VBA… the sandbox stops the runtime before it even starts. until macros get a new engine built for that model, the iPad app stays trimmed down.

As of the current information available, the mobile versions of Office apps, including Excel for iOS, are indeed more limited compared to their desktop counterparts. Microsoft has focused on providing a streamlined experience for mobile devices, which may not include all features available in the full desktop version, such as macro support. This design choice is likely due to the differences in user experience and functionality expected on mobile devices versus traditional desktop environments.

While there is no specific timeline for when or if a full version of Excel for iOS will be available, users are encouraged to provide feedback regarding desired features through the app's feedback facility or the Microsoft feedback portal. This feedback can help shape future updates and improvements to the mobile applications.