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: Running a Macro when a Worksheet is Activated.

Running a Macro when a Worksheet is Activated

by Allen Wyatt
(last updated December 27, 2018)

3

Excel allows you to define macros that are executed whenever certain well-defined events occur in the Excel environment. One of those events is when a worksheet is activated. For instance, you could create a macro that defined a custom menu structure whenever a particular worksheet is displayed.

In order to create a macro that runs when a worksheet is activated, follow these steps:

  1. Display the VBA Editor by pressing Alt+F11.
  2. In the Project window, at the left side of the Editor, double-click on the name of the worksheet that you want to affect. (You may need to first open the VBAProject folder, and then open the Microsoft Excel Objects folder under it.) The code window for the worksheet should appear.
  3. In the code window, use the right pull-down list (there are two pull-down lists just below the title bar of the code window) to select the Activate option. The following code should appear in the code window:
     Private Sub Worksheet_Activate()

     End Sub
  1. In this new subroutine enter the macro you want executed whenever the worksheet is activated.
  2. Close the VBA Editor.

Remember that a macro defined in this way is run every time the worksheet is activated, not just the first time. Think about how you use Excel; it is possible to activate a worksheet several dozen times during the course of a session.

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 (2564) 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: Running a Macro when a Worksheet is Activated.

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. ...

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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}] 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 six minus 3?

2019-01-07 06:15:50

Willy Vanhaelen

@Aaron S
You can use the Workbook_SheetActivate event in the ThisWorkbook code window. It acts on all sheets of your workbook or only sheets you specify.

2019-01-04 16:42:33

Aaron S

What if I have worksheets 1-10, and I'd like to run the same code when either sheets 1, 3, 5, or 8 activate. What code could I use in ThisWorkbook to avoid having Private Sub Worksheet_Activate() in every sheet I need to run the code in? Can I put them in an array and run the specified code when any sheet in the array is activated?

2016-04-08 02:04:20

Jas

Hi, may I know if its possible to run a VBA code and create a new worksheet, then setting a macro to one of the events (worksheet_activate) through coding? Thank you!

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