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: Displaying a Set Column Range.

Displaying a Set Column Range

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated January 20, 2024)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365

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Let's say that you want to display a specific number of columns on a worksheet in the available window space. You can manually figure out the necessary width of each column and do the adjustments, or you can write a macro that will figure out, proportionally, how the width of each column should be adjusted to get the desired results.

An easier method, however, is to just adjust the zoom factor for a desired number of columns. This can be done manually by selecting the columns, displaying the View tab of the ribbon, and clicking the Zoom to Selection tool in the Zoom group.

If you want to do it programmatically, it is even easier. Right-click a worksheet tab (the one you want this macro to apply to) and then choose View Code from the resulting Context menu. Excel displays the Visual Basic Editor, and you should enter the following into the code window:

Private Sub Worksheet_Activate()
    Range("A1:L1").Select
    ActiveWindow.Zoom = True
    Range("A1").Select
End Sub

This particular macro assumes that you want to view columns A through L in the window. It selects the range A1:L1, and then sets the zooming factor to display just that selection (the columns you want). Finally, it selects cell A1 and ends.

Note:

If you would like to know how to use the macros described on this page (or on any other page on the ExcelTips sites), I've prepared a special page that includes helpful information. Click here to open that special page in a new browser tab.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (7805) 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: Displaying a Set Column Range.

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 0 + 7?

2024-01-26 18:38:49

J. Woolley

Re. my previous comment below, I should have mentioned the AdjustRowHeights macro to adjust the height of selected rows with the same features as AdjustColumnWidths.
See https://sites.google.com/view/MyExcelToolbox/

2024-01-26 10:45:35

J. Woolley

My Excel Toolbox includes the AdjustColumnWidths macro to adjust the width of selected columns by a fixed increment or a proportional multiplier. Either choice includes an option to span the active window without changing the zoom factor. This macro supports Undo (Ctrl+Z).
See https://sites.google.com/view/MyExcelToolbox/

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