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: Saving a Workbook in a Macro.

Saving a Workbook in a Macro

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated May 8, 2021)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021


If you want to save a workbook under control of your macro, you can use the Save method. This is the same as choosing Save from the ribbon options, so it will display the Save As dialog box if the document you are saving has not been previously saved. The syntax is as follows:

ActiveWorkbook.Save

If you want to save the workbook to a file with a new name, use the following basic syntax:

ActiveWorkbook.SaveAs FileName:="filename"

where "filename" is the full name (including a path), in quotes, that you want used for the file.

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 (10769) 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: Saving a Workbook in a Macro.

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. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Guidelines for Laser Printer Letterhead

Plan on using printed letterhead in your laser printer? Here are some tips and cautions about doing so.

Discover More

Searching for Comment Marks

Got a bunch of comments in your document? You can easily jump from one comment to the other by using the Object Browser, ...

Discover More

Working with E-mailed Documents

Ding! You've got mail. That mail has a Word document attached to it. Before you rush off and open that document, take a ...

Discover More

Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 365 applications with VBA programming. Written in clear terms and understandable language, the book includes systematic tutorials and contains both intermediate and advanced content for experienced VB developers. Designed to be comprehensive, the book addresses not just one Office application, but the entire Office suite. Check out Mastering VBA for Microsoft Office 365 today!

More ExcelTips (ribbon)

Making Changes in a Group of Workbooks

If you need to change the same data in a large number of workbooks, the task can be daunting. Here are some ideas (and ...

Discover More

Remembering Commonly Used Workbooks

Want a quick way to access the workbooks you use most often? You can "pin" the workbooks so they can be opened with a click.

Discover More

Unresponsive Excel when Double-Clicking a Workbook

There are two ways you can load a workbook in Excel, and each approach should result in the workbook being loaded ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 8 + 2?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


This Site

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.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.