Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. 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: Specifying Your Target Monitor.

Specifying Your Target Monitor

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated August 27, 2025)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021

If you are developing Web pages in Excel, it is a good idea to have in mind who the user is. The user, obviously, is the person who will view your Web page. However, there are certain assumptions that must be made about the user, and those assumptions will affect how you put your Web page together.

One of the prime considerations is what resolution of monitor the user will be using. This affects the presentation of graphics and text on their page. For instance, a graphic that shows up nicely centered on your screen at a high resolution may not give the desired impact if the user is working at a lower resolution.

You can instruct Excel to make certain assumptions about the user's monitor resolution as you are developing Web pages. You set the target resolution by following these steps:

  1. Display the Excel Options dialog box. (In Excel 2007 click the Office button and then click Excel Options. In Excel 2010 or a later version display the File tab of the ribbon and then click Options.)
  2. Click Advanced at the left side of the dialog box.
  3. Scroll through the list of available options until you see the General group.
  4. Click the Web Options button. Excel displays the Web Options dialog box.
  5. Make sure the Pictures tab is selected. (See Figure 1.)

    6. Figure 1. The Pictures tab of the Web Options dialog box.

  6. Using the Screen Size drop-down list, select the screen resolution you believe most of your users will have.
  7. Click on OK to close the Web Options dialog box.
  8. Click on OK to close the Excel Options dialog box.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (6222) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Specifying Your Target Monitor.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Getting Rid of Modify Style Message

When you apply styles to a paragraph, you may periodically see a message asking if you want to reapply the style or ...

Discover More

Creating a New Document in VBA

When working with documents in a macro, it makes sense that you may need to create a document from time to time. Here's ...

Discover More

No New Fonts Error

Sometimes Excel does things that may appear just plain wacky. This particular tip deals with an issue that could crop up ...

Discover More

Program Successfully in Excel! This guide will provide you with all the information you need to automate any task in Excel and save time and effort. Learn how to extend Excel's functionality with VBA to create solutions not possible with the standard features. Includes latest information for Excel 2024 and Microsoft 365. Check out Mastering Excel VBA Programming today!

More ExcelTips (ribbon)

Pulling Apart a URL

Excel provides a good number of worksheet functions that can help you pick apart text strings in various ways. In this ...

Discover More

Excel Freezes when Removing Hyperlink

Excel should allow you to both add and remove hyperlinks in a worksheet. If you run into problems removing hyperlinks, ...

Discover More

Opening Sites in a Browser

You can store all sorts of information in a worksheet, including Web addresses. If you want to open those addresses in a ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 2 - 0?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)

This Site

Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.

Links and Sharing
OUR COMPANY
OUR PRODUCTS
OUR SITES
 

Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.