Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated November 13, 2020)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
As you are working with a worksheet, Excel allows you to "undo" previous actions and return your worksheet to the condition before that action was taken. Normally you use Ctrl+Z to undo an action or you can use the Undo tool on the toolbar.
By default, Excel maintains your last 16 actions, but this number of undo levels can be misleading. There are some actions that can clear out the undo stack, making it impossible to undo any previous actions. For instance, running some macro commands can cause the stack to be cleared, and saving the workbook clears the undo stack. In addition, some actions cannot be undone (they don't get placed on the stack), but the list of such actions can vary based on the version of Excel you are using.
If you find that the Undo command is simply of no use to you, there are a number of possible reasons. One common reason is that you have AutoSave set up with a very short interval. Every time you save a workbook—whether explicitly or with AutoSave—the undo stack is cleared and you cannot undo anything that happened before the save.
Another possible reason is that the number of undo levels in your installation of Excel has been changed. This cannot be done within Excel itself, but can be done in the Windows Registry. If the Registry value was changed to some very low value, then the undo tool loses meaning. The following Knowledge Base article explains how you can make changes to the proper Registry setting in Excel 2000, 2002, and 2003:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/211922
If you are using Excel 97, you can make the change following the information in this article:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/162944
While you can use these techniques to increase the number of undo levels as high as you want, Microsoft suggests you don't increase the undo levels above 100, as there may be a serious hit on the performance of Excel.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (3145) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.
Solve Real Business Problems Master business modeling and analysis techniques with Excel and transform data into bottom-line results. This hands-on, scenario-focused guide shows you how to use the latest Excel tools to integrate data from multiple tables. Check out Microsoft Excel 2013 Data Analysis and Business Modeling today!
Got some numbers and letters mixed up in the same cell? You may need to get rid of those letters so you are left with ...
Discover MoreGrading in schools is often done using numeric values. However, you may want to change those numeric values into letter ...
Discover MoreIf you need to look at different parts of the same worksheet at the same time, the answer is to create windows for your ...
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.
Comments