Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Microsoft 365. 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.

Renaming a Workbook

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated January 5, 2023)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Microsoft 365

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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:

  1. Make sure the workbook you want to rename is not loaded into Excel. (Close it if it is loaded.)
  2. Press Ctrl+O to display the Open dialog box. (In Excel 2013 you'll need to not only press Ctrl+O, but then click Computer and then Browse. In Excel 2016 or a later version click This PC and then Browse after you click Ctrl+O). You can also press Ctrl+F12 to display the Open dialog box.
  3. In the list of files contained in the dialog box, right-click on the one you want to rename. This displays a Context menu for the workbook.
  4. Choose Rename from the Context menu. The workbook name is highlighted, and you have the opportunity to change the name.
  5. Once the document name is changed, press Enter.
  6. Close the Open dialog box by pressing Esc or clicking on Cancel.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (11726) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Renaming a Workbook.

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. ...

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What is nine more than 7?

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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