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

3

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. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Displaying Negative Percentages in Red

Excel includes quite a few different formats you can use for the information in a worksheet. One format that isn't as ...

Discover More

Getting the Traditional Open Dialog Box

When you attempt to open a file in Word, chances are good that you will first have to pass through what is called the ...

Discover More

Word Adds Extra Space before Footnote Marker

When using full justification of your text, you may get extra spaces in places you never wanted. This tip examines one ...

Discover More

Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 2013 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Access) with VBA programming, using it for writing macros, automating Office applications, and creating custom applications. Check out Mastering VBA for Office 2013 today!

More ExcelTips (ribbon)

Determining If a File Exists

Before you have your macro open and read a file from disk, you'll want to check to make sure it is really there. Here's ...

Discover More

CSV File Opens with Data in a Single Column

When you import a CSV file into an Excel worksheet, you may be surprised at how the program allocates the information ...

Discover More

Comma-Delimited Differences for PC and Mac

When you choose to save worksheet data in CSV format, Excel gives you three choices for file formats. Those choices are ...

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}] (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 eight less than 8?

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.

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 SITES
 

Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.