Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. 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: Removing a Macro from a Shortcut Key.

Removing a Macro from a Shortcut Key

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated September 12, 2025)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021

Excel allows you to assign macros to specific key combinations. These key combinations are referred to as shortcut keys, and when used they result in the macro being executed. You learn how to assign a shortcut key to a particular macro in other issues of ExcelTips.

At some point you may want to remove the association between a shortcut key and a macro. In order to do this, follow these steps:

  1. Press Alt+F8 to display the Macro dialog box.
  2. From the list of available macros, select the macro whose shortcut key you want to change.
  3. Click on Options. Excel displays the Macro Options dialog box. (See Figure 1.)

    4. Figure 1. The Macro Options dialog box.

  4. Remove any characters in the Shortcut Key area.
  5. Click on OK to close the Macro Options dialog box.
  6. Click on Cancel to close the Macro dialog box.

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 (9665) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Removing a Macro from a Shortcut Key.

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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