Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated September 9, 2023)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365
Donald is writing a macro in which he needs to reference a user's desktop. However, the path to the desktop necessarily varies from system to system and user to user. He wonders what coding he can use to determine the path to the desktop regardless of system.
There are several ways to find the path to the desktop in VBA. One way is to call the Windows scripting host, in this manner:
Function GetDesktop() As String Dim oWSHShell As Object Set oWSHShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell") GetDesktop = oWSHShell.SpecialFolders("Desktop") Set oWSHShell = Nothing End Function
Note that this is a user-defined macro that you can use either from the worksheet or from another macro. The use from the worksheet would be as follows:
=GetDesktop()
Another way to determine the path to the desktop is to use the following line in your code:
sPath = Environ("USERPROFILE") & "\Desktop"
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (8236) 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: Finding the Path to the Desktop.
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!
You can, within a macro, save a workbook in several different file formats that are understood by Excel. However, you may ...
Discover MorePart of writing macros is to make sure they work as you expect. This involves a process known as debugging. Here's how ...
Discover MoreMacros often need to select different cells in a worksheet. Here's how you can use macro commands to change which cell is ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2023-09-09 10:56:20
J. Woolley
My Excel Toolbox's NameOf function can return the value of an environment variable. For example, this cell formula will return the path to your desktop as indicated in the Tip:
=NameOf("UserProfile")&"\Desktop"
For more about the NameOf function, see my earliest comment here:
https://excelribbon.tips.net/T013432_Inserting_the_Workbook_Name.html
For more about environment variables, see my earliest comment here:
https://excelribbon.tips.net/T013227_Adjusting_a_Path_Based_on_System_and_User.html
My Excel Toolbox's ListSpecialFolders dynamic array function will return 7 Excel special folders plus 48 Windows special folders, including the desktop's path:
=ListSpecialFolders([SkipHeader])
Expect 2 columns (Acronym, Folder) and 55 rows plus the optional header row.
In older versions of Excel that do not support dynamic arrays, you can preselect an appropriate 2x55 (plus header) range and enter the formula as a CSE (Ctrl+Shift+Enter) array. Or you can use My Excel Toolbox's SpillArray function to simulate a dynamic array:
=SpillArray(ListSpecialFolders())
If you only want the path to your desktop, use the following cell formula:
=VLOOKUP("Windows MyDesktop",ListSpecialFolders(),2,FALSE)
See https://sites.google.com/view/MyExcelToolbox
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