Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated May 21, 2022)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
When Sherman displays the Save As dialog box in Excel, the dialog box fills the whole screen. There is no apparent way to reduce the size of the dialog box, and this doesn't happen in other Office programs. Sherman wonders if there is a way to reduce the size of the Save As dialog box so that it only fills a portion of the screen.
Although there are no minimize, maximize, or restore buttons for dialog boxes, the four edges and corners of the dialog box should be "active." This means you should be able to hover the mouse pointer over one of these active areas and have it change to a double-headed arrow so you can click and drag the edge or corner. This will help you get the dialog box to just the size you want.
If the dialog box edges are too close to the edge of the screen, double-click the dialog box's title bar or click it once and drag the title bar down and to the right. This will allow you to get at the top and left edge or the top-left corner. You can then, once again, drag the edges or corner to make the dialog box smaller and more manageable.
When you resize the Save As dialog box in this manner, make sure that you actually save a file using the dialog box. If you instead do the resize and click Cancel, the new dialog box settings will be lost and you will need to resize again.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (6470) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.
Program Successfully in Excel! John Walkenbach's name is synonymous with excellence in deciphering complex technical topics. With this comprehensive guide, "Mr. Spreadsheet" shows how to maximize your Excel experience using professional spreadsheet application development tips from his own personal bookshelf. Check out Excel 2013 Power Programming with VBA today!
Need to understand who is using a particular workbook? There are a number of ways you can find out, as discussed in this tip.
Discover MoreIf you have some legacy data stored in very old spreadsheet files, you may be wondering how to get that data into an ...
Discover MoreExcel used to provide, prior to Excel 2002, an equal-sign tool near the Formula bar. If you miss this tool, you may want ...
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