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: Opening a Workbook to a Specific Worksheet.

Opening a Workbook to a Specific Worksheet

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated May 1, 2025)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021


1

Marcus wonders if it is possible to somehow configure a workbook so that it opens on the same worksheet tab each time it is opened, rather than on the worksheet tab that was displayed when the workbook was last saved. The short answer is that you can do this—provided you use a macro. (There is no way to do it without a macro.)

The best approach is to use the Workbook_Open event handler that is automatically triggered whenever the workbook is opened:

Sub Workbook_Open()
    Sheets("OpenToThisSheet").Activate
End Sub

All you need to do is replace OpenToThisSheet with the name of the worksheet you want displayed when the workbook opens. The event handler should be added as part of the ThisWorkbook module.

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 (11706) 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: Opening a Workbook to a Specific Worksheet.

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

Understanding the Normalize Text Command

Word includes tons of internal commands that you can access as you customize your system. One of these is the Normalize ...

Discover More

Available Caret Codes

When doing an advanced search in Word, the program provides special codes you can use in your searching or replacing. ...

Discover More

Using the EOMONTH Function

If you need to determine the date of the last day in a month, it's hard to beat the flexibility of the EOMONTH function. ...

Discover More

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!

More ExcelTips (ribbon)

Stopping a Workbook from Persistently Auto-Loading

Excel has the capability to automatically open workbooks when you first start the program. You may not want to have one ...

Discover More

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

Printing Workbook Properties

Want to create a printed record of the properties associated with a workbook? There is no easy way to do it in Excel. ...

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 7 + 1?

2021-10-31 14:36:34

Alec W

Is there any way that this can be achieved with workbooks saved in SharePoint?


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.