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

by Allen Wyatt
(last updated July 2, 2018)

4

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 click This PC and then Browse after you click Ctrl+O).
  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, and 2016. 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. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Returning to Your Document after Adding an Endnote

Endnotes are a required element in some types of writing. When you add an endnote, Word moves you to the end of your ...

Discover More

Making PROPER Skip Certain Words

The PROPER worksheet function is used to change the case of text so that only the first letter of each word is uppercase. ...

Discover More

Maintaining Fields in a Merged Document

When merging documents, you may want to include some fields in the merged documents. For some fields this is impossible, ...

Discover More

Excel Smarts for Beginners! Featuring the friendly and trusted For Dummies style, this popular guide shows beginners how to get up and running with Excel while also helping more experienced users get comfortable with the newest features. Check out Excel 2013 For Dummies today!

More ExcelTips (ribbon)

Accessing Old Excel Data

If you have some legacy data stored in very old spreadsheet files, you may be wondering how to get that data into an ...

Discover More

Faster Text File Conversions

Want to make your importing of text data faster than ever? Here are some ideas you can apply right away.

Discover More

File Formats that Include Field Formats

If you import data into Excel that is created by other programs, you know that it can be bothersome to get your data ...

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.

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

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}] 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 one less than 6?

2017-10-20 13:25:47

Louise

I had the same problem as Terry. I get some options when I right click, but nothing that says to rename.

2017-10-20 10:20:30

David Bonin

How would you do this with VBA?

2017-10-20 04:24:27

hegguardo

In Excel 2013 (and later versions), to avoid the convoluted Ctrl+O | Computer | Browse process, you can simply press Crtl+F12 to display the Open dialog box.

2016-02-08 16:58:15

Terry

This procedure does not work on my MacPro computer with Office 2013. Cmd + O does open to Desktop but a right click on the workbook does nothing.

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.

Links and Sharing
OUR COMPANY
OUR PRODUCTS
OUR AUTHORS
OUR SITES
 

Copyright © 2018 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.