Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Office 365. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Recording a Macro.
If you have a repetitive task that is a good candidate for a macro, you can use the macro recording capabilities of Excel to turn your actions into a macro. To record a macro, follow these steps:
Figure 1. The Record Macro dialog box.
Excel starts recording everything you do. The actions you take become steps in the macro and will be repeated when you later execute the macro. When you have finished the steps you want recorded in your macro, again display the Developer tab of the ribbon and click the Stop Recording tool. (This tool is only available when you are actually recording your macro.) The macro is then saved and available for use at any time.
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (5683) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Office 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Recording a Macro.
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2018-11-23 05:47:27
Peter Atherton
Raymond
Seems like you use a Mac. On windows there is a short-cut to save the document Ctrl + S, Ctrl + P to print and so on. If you use these shortcuts in your workbook then you will not be able to use them to save or print a file. The usual worokaround is to add the Shift to yhe short cut. e.g Ctrl + shift + S. Try these short cuts to make sure that Excel is nt usng them before they are apied to your workbook.
HTH
2018-11-22 13:02:26
Raymond A Batman
When I use the ctrl+ command I get an insert box that provides ways to shift cells. So that does not allow me to use a shortcut key to record a macro?
2018-11-19 05:50:16
Barry
@JeanE
The macro recorder default to using absolute addresses, which is a nuisance as the majority of times, that I've used the recorder, I want relative addresses. Fortunately, this is easily enabled by slicking the "Use Relative References" in the ribbon on the 'Developer' tab or on older versions of Excel the Use RElative Reference button on the floating "Macro" recorder toolbar.
You can switch between absolute and relative as frequently as you like during the recording of the macro. E.g. I had a macro to go to the last entry in column A - in absolute mode go to the last cell in column A then switch relative to then use the [End} [UpArrow] to go to the last cell.
2018-11-18 11:40:31
JeanE
The steps mentioned to create a macro work great, but only on the cell the macro was recorded in. How do I make the macro run in any other cell in the workbook -- in other words, address free?
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Office 365. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: 
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