Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated August 27, 2022)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365
When you press Enter after typing information into a cell, Excel normally saves your information and then moves to the next cell beneath the one where you pressed Enter. You can modify this behavior, however:
Figure 1. The Advanced options of the Excel Options dialog box.
If you have a need to vary the Enter key behavior on a workbook-by-workbook basis, you might think you are out of luck. You can, however, use a little creative macro code to specify which direction you want to go after Enter, and have that code run whenever a workbook is activated.
For instance, let's say that you had a particular workbook, and you always want to move the selection up after pressing Enter. In this particular workbook, you can add the following code to the thisWorkbook object in the VBA editor:
Private Sub Workbook_WindowActivate(ByVal Wn As Excel.Window) bMove = Application.MoveAfterReturn lMoveDirection = Application.MoveAfterReturnDirection Application.MoveAfterReturn = True Application.MoveAfterReturnDirection = xlUp End Sub Private Sub Workbook_WindowDeactivate(ByVal Wn As Excel.Window) Application.MoveAfterReturn = bMove Application.MoveAfterReturnDirection = lMoveDirection End Sub
There are two separate subroutines here. The first one runs whenever the window for the workbook is activated. In this case, it stores the settings associated with the MoveAfterReturn and MoveAfterReturnDirection properties into variables. (You will learn about these variables shortly.) The macro then sets the MoveAfterReturn property to True and sets the direction to xlUp. If you want to go a different direction by default in this particular workbook, simply use a different Excel constant, such as xlDown, xlToLeft, or xlToRight.
The second subroutine runs whenever the workbook window is deactivated. In this case, the values of the MoveAfterReturn and MoveAfterReturnDirection properties are reset to what they were before the workbook was first activated.
The two variables used in these routines, lMoveDirection and bMove, need to be defined in the declaration portion of any module. This allows the variables to be accessed from both of the above routines.
Public lMoveDirection As Long Public bMove As Boolean
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (7220) 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: Choosing Direction after Enter On a Workbook Basis.
Dive Deep into Macros! Make Excel do things you thought were impossible, discover techniques you won't find anywhere else, and create powerful automated reports. Bill Jelen and Tracy Syrstad help you instantly visualize information to make it actionable. You’ll find step-by-step instructions, real-world case studies, and 50 workbooks packed with examples and solutions. Check out Microsoft Excel 2019 VBA and Macros today!
Have you ever pressed the Tab key, expecting to move to the next cell in your worksheet, only to have Excel completely ...
Discover MoreThe Developer tab of the ribbon is the gateway to many advanced features in Excel, including those features related to ...
Discover MoreA little green triangle in the corner of a cell means that Excel thinks there is an error with the cell contents. If ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2022-08-28 04:12:11
KIwerry
Thanks, J. Woolley.
Installing your tool in the personal workbook is a good alternative to Allen's solution, which requires that each affected workbook be saved in xlsm format, which is a less desirable option
2022-08-27 10:36:23
J. Woolley
My Excel Toolbox includes the MoveAfterEnter macro (Ctrl+T M O)to set adjacent cell movement after the Enter key is pressed (see Figure 1 below) .
See https://sites.google.com/view/MyExcelToolbox/
Figure 1.
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.
Comments