Saving a Workbook with a Preview

When you use the Open dialog box in Excel, you can configure what you see in the dialog box. One of the settings you can make is for Excel to display the files using icons. If you choose the drop-down arrow next to the Views tool at the upper-right corner of the Open dialog box, you'll see that there are eight different viewing options:

• Extra Large Icons
• Large Icons
• Medium Icons
• Small Icons
• List
• Details
• Tiles
• Content

While the viewing options may vary based on your version of Windows and Excel, you get the idea—you can control how you view the files in the Open dialog box.

Normally, Excel displays a generic icon for any workbook. You can, however, cause Excel to display preview for the actual content of the workbook. You can tell Excel to use previews by following these steps:

1. Display the File tab of the ribbon.
2. Make sure the Info option is selected at the left side of the dialog box.
3. Click the Properties link near the right side of the dialog box and then click Advanced Properties. Excel displays the Properties dialog box for your workbook.
4. Make sure the Summary tab is selected.
5. Select the Save Thumbnails for All Excel Documents check box at the bottom of the dialog box.
6. Click on OK to close the Properties dialog box.
7. Save your workbook.

Now when you display the Open dialog box, you should see a preview of the workbook you just saved. Even though in step 4 the setting mentions "all Excel documents," previews for other workbooks won't be created until you open them and save them—that's when the preview for that workbook is created.

Remember, as well, that we're talking about the Open dialog box here within Excel. You get to that by Clicking the File tab of the ribbon, clicking Open, and then clicking Browse.

Finally, remember that the Open dialog box has several different ways it can display files, as mentioned at the beginning of this tip. Some of those viewing options don't use icons large enough that a preview will be beneficial. The larger the icons used, the more detail you'll be able to see in the preview.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (6173) applies to Microsoft Excel 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024, and Excel in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Saving a Workbook with a Preview.