Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated September 25, 2021)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
Excel allows you to maintain a list of the most-recently used (MRU) files. This list can record the names of up to the last nine workbooks opened and edited within Excel. Understand that nine workbooks is the default; the user can actually change the number of workbooks that can be maintained in the list. See the tip MRU Files Won't Display for more information.
If you want to grab the names of the MRU files and insert those names in a worksheet, you can use the following macro:
Sub MostRecent() Dim J As Integer For J = 1 To Application.RecentFiles.Count Cells(J, 1) = Application.RecentFiles(J).Name Next J End Sub
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (9783) 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: Grabbing the MRU List.
Best-Selling VBA Tutorial for Beginners Take your Excel knowledge to the next level. With a little background in VBA programming, you can go well beyond basic spreadsheets and functions. Use macros to reduce errors, save time, and integrate with other Microsoft applications. Fully updated for the latest version of Office 365. Check out Microsoft 365 Excel VBA Programming For Dummies today!
When you choose to save worksheet data in CSV format, Excel gives you three choices for file formats. Those choices are ...
Discover MoreNeed to get your data into a format that can be easily read by other programs? Chances are good that a simple CSV file ...
Discover MoreYou can use a macro to read information from a text file. The steps are easy, and then you can use that information in ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2021-09-25 10:33:31
J. Woolley
My Excel Toolbox includes the ListRecentFiles([AddPath]) dynamic array function. In older versions of Excel you can use it with the SpillArray function like this:
=SpillArray(ListRecentFiles([AddPath]))
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