Specifying the Number of MRU Files

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated February 24, 2024)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365

5

Excel can easily keep track of the last several workbooks you've edited. This list of files is often referred to as the MRU (most recently used) file list. Excel allows you to specify, exactly, how many files you want tracked in this list. You can change the number of MRU files 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 available options until you see the Display section. (See Figure 1.)

    4. Figure 1. The Advanced options of the Excel Options dialog box.

  4. Use the control labeled Show this Number of Recent Workbooks to indicate how many files you want to appear in the MRU list. (You can set a value up to 50.)
  5. Click OK.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (6238) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365.

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. ...

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What is four minus 1?

2024-07-28 11:22:53

J. Woolley

My earliest comment below describes the ListRecentFiles function to list the MRU files. My Excel Toolbox now includes the TrimRecentFiles macro to identify files that can be removed from the MRU list. Such files must be picked from an updated result of the ListRecentFiles function. The TrimRecentFiles macro also enables adjusting the size of the MRU list ("number of Recent Workbooks" in Figure 1 above).
My Excel Toolbox also includes the following dynamic array function to list folders derived from the MRU list of files:
    =ListRecentFolders([AddPath])
AddPath is the same as previously described for the ListRecentFiles function. The ListRecentFolders result is similar to clicking "More..." at bottom-right of Excel's Backstage view, then picking "Folders" at the top.

2024-02-25 15:57:20

Gene

J. Woolley
Thank you! I hadn’t noticed the little “More workbooks” down in the corner.

2024-02-25 09:43:19

J. Woolley

@Gene
Click "More..." at bottom-right or use the scroll bar.

2024-02-24 14:18:52

Gene

I have specified a quantity of 50 in Show this number of Recent Workbooks, Quickly access this number of Recent Workbooks, and Show this number of unpinned Recent Folders. The list does contain 50, but only 10 can be viewed. Items must be removed from the list to see others below the tenth one.

2024-02-24 11:02:09

J. Woolley

My Excel Toolbox includes the following dynamic array function to list the MRU filenames:
    =ListRecentFiles([AddPath])
If optional AddPath is FALSE (default) or null (""), the list will not be altered.
If AddPath is TRUE, Excel's default local filepath will be prepended to any filename that does not begin with \ and does not specify a drive (like D:\...) or network path (like \\MYNET\...); if the filename begins with one \ character, Excel's default local drive (like C:) will be prepended. Excel's default local filepath is defined in Options > Save.
If AddPath is text (like "Path" or "E:\Path"), that text will be prepended to any filename that does not begin with \ and does not specify a drive or network path; if the filename begins with one \ character, Excel's default local drive will be prepended.
If a non-default AddPath is specified, results should be carefully reviewed.
When using pre-2021 versions of Excel without support for dynamic arrays, review the PDF file UseSpillArray.pdf.
See https://sites.google.com/view/MyExcelToolbox

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