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: Renaming a Workbook.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated January 5, 2023)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
There is no intrinsic command within Excel that allows you to rename workbooks or files, as there is in some other programs. It is true that you can simply save a workbook out under a new name, but that results in two files on your drive instead of one. You can use the following steps to rename a workbook quickly and easily, all within Excel:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (11726) 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: Renaming a Workbook.
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2024-07-28 17:54:56
Stephen Stiles
RENAME OTION IN THE LIST .... NOW WHAT?
2019-02-03 13:58:59
Walter Fuhrer
Hi Allen,
Is there a way to rename a workbook (Excel 2013) without breaking the connection when it is linked to other workbook or as a hyperlink to other documents?
Kind regards,
Walter
2019-02-02 16:10:12
Ron
When you rename a workbook, Excel does NOT update the Recent Workbooks list to reflect the new name. This can create some confusion when you are looking for that workbook later.
To alleviate any possible confusion, while you still have the File Open dialog on the screen, you should take a second to open the renamed workbook so it will appear in the Recent Workbooks list under the new name. And then, you may as well go ahead and right click on the old name and choose Remove From List. These two quick steps will alleviate any confusion in the future.
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