Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated October 31, 2025)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365
Vicki has made quite a few changes to the configuration options in Excel, visible in the various tabs of the Excel Options dialog box. She wonders if there is a way to save these settings, as she's modified them, so that they can be loaded into another system or backed up.
There is no single place that Excel configuration settings are stored, so the answer to this question is not as simple as one might hope. Some of the settings are stored in the XLB file maintained by the system. Where this file is stored depends on the version of Excel you are using and the way your system is set up. Here, for instance, is where it may be stored on a system:
c:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel
You can easily—within Windows—do a search for files ending in XLB and back them up.
Other configuration options are stored with individual workbooks, and still others are modified on-the-fly based on the first workbook you open within Excel. Backing up workbooks is easy, but you'll need to do some figuring out to see which ones you want to save based solely on the configuration settings they may affect.
Of course, you may be able to locate third-party add-ons for Excel that you can use to gather and save all of the configuration settings; a bit of time spent with your favorite search engine may turn up some good candidates.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (13414) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365.
Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 365 applications with VBA programming. Written in clear terms and understandable language, the book includes systematic tutorials and contains both intermediate and advanced content for experienced VB developers. Designed to be comprehensive, the book addresses not just one Office application, but the entire Office suite. Check out Mastering VBA for Microsoft Office 365 today!
The Ribbon, while debatably handy, can be downright difficult to use for those with a sight impairment. Here are some ...
Discover MoreExcel allows you to display your workbooks using a couple of different views. If you want to disable one of the views, it ...
Discover MoreWhen you insert rows, columns, or cells in a worksheet, does the resulting Insert Options icon bother you? Here's how to ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2022-04-02 10:15:35
J. Woolley
For the QAT and Ribbon, see File > Options > Customize Ribbon > Import/Export.
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.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments