Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Saving All Open Workbooks.

Saving All Open Workbooks

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated March 3, 2022)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


If you work with lots of workbooks open at the same time, you know that it can be a pain to go through and save each of the open workbooks, in turn. Wouldn't it be great to have a single command that allowed you to save all the open workbooks, without the need to do it manually?

Unfortunately, there isn't such a command. The closest solution is to hold down the Shift key as you click the File menu, then choose Close All. In the process of closing, Excel will ask if you want each workbook saved.

The big drawback to this is that Excel closes and you need to again start Excel and open all your workbooks. If you want a true Save All command, you need to create it using a macro. The following is a good example of one you could use:

Sub SaveAll()
    Dim Wkb As Workbook
    For Each Wkb In Workbooks
        If Not Wkb.ReadOnly And Windows(Wkb.Name).Visible Then
            Wkb.Save
        End If
    Next
End Sub

Save the macro in your Personal workbook, assign it to a toolbar button or a shortcut key, and you can call it up as often as you like. It saves all the workbooks that are open, except those that are read-only or hidden.

Note:

If you would like to know how to use the macros described on this page (or on any other page on the ExcelTips sites), I've prepared a special page that includes helpful information. Click here to open that special page in a new browser tab.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (3307) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Saving All Open Workbooks.

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

Bypassing the Startup Macro

Word allows you to create a macro that is run automatically whenever the program is started. If you want to bypass the ...

Discover More

Stepping Through a Non-Contiguous Range of Cells

Using macros to step through each cell in a selection is a common occurrence. What if that selected range is made up of ...

Discover More

An Automatic Two Spaces after a Period

Should you put two spaces after a sentence or just one? Ask different people and you will get different answers. To Word ...

Discover More

Program Successfully in Excel! John Walkenbach's name is synonymous with excellence in deciphering complex technical topics. With this comprehensive guide, "Mr. Spreadsheet" shows how to maximize your Excel experience using professional spreadsheet application development tips from his own personal bookshelf. Check out Excel 2013 Power Programming with VBA today!

More ExcelTips (menu)

Getting Rid of Extra Quote Marks in Exported Text Files

If you don't like the way that Excel exports information you intend to use with other programs, then your best bet is to ...

Discover More

Saving in Two Locations

When you save a workbook to disk, you may want to automatically save a duplicate workbook in a separate location. This ...

Discover More

Crashing when Searching

If you use Excel's Open dialog box to search for files and you notice that doing so ends up crashing your system, you may ...

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.

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 1 + 1?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


This Site

Got a version of Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon 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.