Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 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: Colors and Fonts for Worksheet Tabs.
Excel is quite configurable in how information appears on your screen. At some time you may want to change the appearance of the worksheet tabs at the bottom of your workbook. Unfortunately, Excel allows very little customization of the way worksheet tabs are presented.
If you want to change the font used in a worksheet tab, you need to change the fonts used by Windows (not Excel) to displays information. You can right-click on your desktop, choose Properties, and then click on the Appearance tab. Changes you make on this tab will affect all programs running on your system, not just Excel.
If you want to change the color used to display a worksheet tab, you are completely out of luck if you are using Excel 97 or Excel 2000. If you are using Excel 2002 or Excel 2003 you can change the formatting for a tab by following these steps:
It is interesting that if you set the colors for worksheet tabs and then open the worksheet in Excel 2000, the tabs don't show in color—they show in gray. Excel 2000 won't get rid of the colors, however. They will still be there when you later open the workbook in a version of Excel that supports the colors.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2625) applies to Microsoft Excel 2002 and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Colors and Fonts for Worksheet Tabs.
Program Successfully in Excel! This guide will provide you with all the information you need to automate any task in Excel and save time and effort. Learn how to extend Excel's functionality with VBA to create solutions not possible with the standard features. Includes latest information for Excel 2024 and Microsoft 365. Check out Mastering Excel VBA Programming today!
Want a quick way to apply superscript and subscript to selected text within a cell? This tip shows how the formatting can ...
Discover MoreTired of the same old boring Excel look? You can add some life to your worksheets by introducing some animation. Here's ...
Discover MoreWhen you make changes in a worksheet, Excel automatically recalculates everything that may be affected by that change. If ...
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: 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