Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 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: Relative VBA Selections.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated February 17, 2024)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365
It is a common thing to need to select cells in a macro. What if you want to select a range of cells relative to your current location, however? It so happens that there are several ways you can accomplish this task. For instance, if you want to select a single cell, relative to your current location, you can use the Offset method. As an example, if you want to select the cell that is two rows down and one column to the right of your current location, you could use the following:
ActiveCell.Offset(2, 1).Select
If you want to select a larger range than just a single cell, you can combine the Offset method with the Address Method to find actual cell addresses, and then use your findings to actually select the range itself. For instance, you might want to select the range that begins two rows down and one column to the right, but then extends for four rows and three columns. You can accomplish this in the following manner:
StartCell = ActiveCell.Offset(2, 1).Address EndCell = ActiveCell.Offset(5, 3).Address Range(StartCell, EndCell).Select
An alternative method of accomplishing the same task is to use the Resize method. In this technique, you would first select the upper-left cell of the desired range (as was done in the first use of Offset, above), and then use Resize to change the size of the selection. This is how it is done:
ActiveCell.Offset(2, 1).Select Selection.Resize(4, 3).Select
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (7016) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Relative VBA Selections.
Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 365 applications with VBA programming. Written in clear terms and understandable language, the book includes systematic tutorials and contains both intermediate and advanced content for experienced VB developers. Designed to be comprehensive, the book addresses not just one Office application, but the entire Office suite. Check out Mastering VBA for Microsoft Office 365 today!
What is a macro? Ever wonder what these are and how to use them? This tip answers the basics of what a macro is used for, ...
Discover MoreWhen developing a macro, you may want to display on the status bar what the macro is doing. Here's how to use this ...
Discover MoreIf you manually recalculate your workbooks, you are probably doing so because of the time it takes to do the ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
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.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 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:
Comments