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: Deleting Unwanted Styles.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated January 4, 2020)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
When you work with other people who use Excel, it is not unusual to copy worksheets from their workbooks into your own workbook. When you do so, the worksheet isn't the only thing that is copied—Excel also copies their formatting styles to your workbook. Manually deleting the unwanted styles can be a hassle, depending on the number of styles. Removing user-defined styles is very easy, though, if you use a macro. The following macro will quickly delete the unwanted styles:
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:
Sub StyleKill()
Dim styT As Style
Dim intRet As Integer
For Each styT In ActiveWorkbook.Styles
If Not styT.BuiltIn Then
intRet = MsgBox("Delete style '" & styT.Name & "'?", vbYesNo)
If intRet = vbYes Then styT.Delete
End If
Next styT
End Sub
The macro needs just a little user input. Whenever the macro detects a user-defined style, you are asked if you want to delete it. Clicking on the Yes button causes the style to be removed from the workbook.
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2135) 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: Deleting Unwanted Styles.
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!
Styles can make your worksheet formatting easier and more consistent. Here's how to copy styles from an existing workbook ...
Discover MoreStandardize the formatting in your Excel workbooks quickly and easily with the Style feature. Here's how to use it.
Discover MoreStyles can be a great help in making sure that the cells in a worksheet are formatted consistently. Here's how to apply ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2023-12-01 21:43:11
Sharon Fry
Still works perfectly in Microsoft 365 version in 2023!
I do like the approach in the comment by "millawitch" also. i didn't try it but it makes sense.
Thanks for all you do, Allen!
-Sharon
2022-06-23 07:03:43
millawitch
How to programmatically reset a workbook to default styles
(Source: https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/topic/how-to-programmatically-reset-a-workbook-to-default-styles-36e94af7-d185-68fb-3962-0882a5260132)
Sub RebuildDefaultStyles()
'The purpose of this macro is to remove all styles in the active
'workbook and rebuild the default styles.
'It rebuilds the default styles by merging them from a new workbook.
'Dimension variables.
Dim MyBook As Workbook
Dim tempBook As Workbook
Dim CurStyle As Style
'Set MyBook to the active workbook.
Set MyBook = ActiveWorkbook
On Error Resume Next
'Delete all the styles in the workbook.
For Each CurStyle In MyBook.Styles
'If CurStyle.Name <> "Normal" Then CurStyle.Delete
Select Case CurStyle.Name
Case "20% - Accent1", "20% - Accent2", _
"20% - Accent3", "20% - Accent4", "20% - Accent5", "20% - Accent6", _
"40% - Accent1", "40% - Accent2", "40% - Accent3", "40% - Accent4", _
"40% - Accent5", "40% - Accent6", "60% - Accent1", "60% - Accent2", _
"60% - Accent3", "60% - Accent4", "60% - Accent5", "60% - Accent6", _
"Accent1", "Accent2", "Accent3", "Accent4", "Accent5", "Accent6", _
"Bad", "Calculation", "Check Cell", "Comma", "Comma [0]", "Currency", _
"Currency [0]", "Explanatory Text", "Good", "Heading 1", "Heading 2", _
"Heading 3", "Heading 4", "Input", "Linked Cell", "Neutral", "Normal", _
"Note", "Output", "Percent", "Title", "Total", "Warning Text"
'Do nothing, these are the default styles
Case Else
CurStyle.Delete
End Select
Next CurStyle
'Open a new workbook.
Set tempBook = Workbooks.Add
'Disable alerts so you may merge changes to the Normal style
'from the new workbook.
Application.DisplayAlerts = False
'Merge styles from the new workbook into the existing workbook.
MyBook.Styles.Merge Workbook:=tempBook
'Enable alerts.
Application.DisplayAlerts = True
'Close the new workbook.
tempBook.Close
End Sub
2020-10-09 08:22:30
Bubbles
Hi, I've used your fun little style killer for some time, but have run into a new wrinkle in an inherited workbook. When I try to run the script I get a VB error
Run-time error '1004':
Delete method of Style class failed
2020-09-17 10:49:30
John Peters
Hi,
I've inadvertently gained some styles from cutting and pasting data into my workbook from another workbook. I've written a macro, no unlike yours that has deleted the majority of the unwanted styles. However, I have 36 unwanted styles left over. I can't delete these in the interface or macro. They have strange names like "LÓÄþÍN^NuNVþˆHÁ(n 2 2" and the protection: Locked is checked. If I rename them (modify style) it creates another style with the new name that can be deleted but the original persists. As far as I can tell these styles are no in use in the workbook. Any suggestions?
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 © 2024 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments