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: Hiding Excel in VBA.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated July 13, 2024)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
Many macros are written to perform a specific, limited task. Other macros are written as part of a larger, overall application designed to be used start-to-finish by a user. For instance, I have seen accounting packages written completely in Excel VBA. The functions of the accounting package are written in VBA, of course. The user of the accounting package never uses "regular Excel," but instead utilizes menus, dialog boxes, and choices presented exclusively by the VBA application.
If you are writing an application in VBA, you may need a way to completely "hide" Excel so that the user never sees it. To do so, you can use this code in a macro:
Application.Visible = False
If your application ends without exiting Excel (such as if an error is encountered), it is important that you set the Visible property to True. If you don't, Excel will remain in memory, but the user will never see it. The user cannot set this property; it must be done under macro control.
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2020) 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: Hiding Excel in VBA.
Best-Selling VBA Tutorial for Beginners Take your Excel knowledge to the next level. With a little background in VBA programming, you can go well beyond basic spreadsheets and functions. Use macros to reduce errors, save time, and integrate with other Microsoft applications. Fully updated for the latest version of Office 365. Check out Microsoft 365 Excel VBA Programming For Dummies today!
When you use a macro to process data you always run the risk of making that data unusable by Excel. This is especially ...
Discover MoreNeed to get rid of extraneous spaces before or after the text in a string? VBA provides three different functions you can ...
Discover MoreNeed a way, in a macro, to convert binary numbers into their decimal equivalents? There are two ways you can get the ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
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.
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.
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:
Comments