Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated January 8, 2025)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
You can easily move between worksheets in a workbook by using Ctrl+Pg Up and Ctrl+Pg Down. What if you want to use a shortcut to move between two specific, non-neighboring worksheets, such as Sheet1 and Sheet4? In this case, it is best to use a macro to do the jumping around.
If desired, you could define two macros that would do the jumping. One macro would jump to Sheet1 and the other to Sheet4. These would be easy enough to create using the macro recorder, and you could assign a shortcut key to each of the macros.
If you are looking for a single shortcut that will toggle between the two worksheets, then you can use a macro such as this:
Sub JumpBetween1() If ActiveSheet.Name = "Sheet1" Then Worksheets("Sheet4").Activate Else Worksheets("Sheet1").Activate End If End Sub
The macro simply checks to see which worksheet is currently displayed. If it is Sheet1, then Sheet4 is displayed. In all other instances, Sheet1 is displayed. This is handy, but it means that if you currently have Sheet2 displayed, the shortcut will always display Sheet1. You might not want the macro to do anything unless either Sheet1 or Sheet4 is displayed. In that case, you should use this variation of the macro:
Sub JumpBetween2() If ActiveSheet.Name = "Sheet1" Then Sheets("Sheet4").Activate ElseIf ActiveSheet.Name = "Sheet4" Then Sheets("Sheet1").Activate End If End Sub
Note that the only difference between the two macros is that the latter variation uses ElseIf to check if Sheet4 is displayed. This means that if any worksheets other than Sheet1 or Sheet4 is displayed, the macro will do nothing.
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (9669) 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: Shortcut to Move between Two Worksheets.
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2021-03-29 05:10:03
David Shepherd
@Cliff Raymond
Good point. If "Sheet1" and "Sheet4" are both worksheets then it'll make no difference, but if one and/or the other happens to be a Chart sheet then example 1 may cause problems.
2021-03-29 05:00:24
Daniel Watters
These can be placed in your Personal Macro Workbook to allow switching to your previous sheet, within any workbook. Sadly I can't remember where it came from.
'Put in Module; allows switching to last worksheet - needs code in ThisWorkbook too
Public oldsheet As String
Public newSheet As String
Sub oldsheet_act()
On Error Resume Next
Worksheets(oldsheet).Activate
End Sub
'Put in ThisWorkbook:
Public WithEvents xlAPP As Application
Private Sub Workbook_Open()
Set xlAPP = Application
newSheet = ActiveSheet.Name
Application.OnKey "^e", "OldSheet_act"
'will return to prior sheet on pressing Ctrl+e (key can be changed); needs section in Module too
End Sub
Private Sub xlAPP_SheetActivate(ByVal Sh As Object)
oldsheet = newSheet
newSheet = Sh.Name
End Sub
2021-03-27 12:13:53
Rick Rothstein
Another way to move between sheets is to right-click the "VCR-like" buttons located to the left of the sheet tabs... doing so will allow you to navigate to any sheet in the workbook.
2021-03-27 11:14:11
Cliff Raymond
You neglect to explain why you used the Worksheets object in example 1 and the Sheets object in example 2.
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