Simple Steps to Rename a Sheet in Excel: A Must-Know for Office Professionals

There are several ways to rename a sheet in Excel, including using the mouse, keyboard shortcuts, or the available options. Additionally, you can also rename multiple sheets at once.

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Sheet is a spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel software, containing various types of data. You can add, delete, move, or rename sheets as desired. So how to rename a sheet in Excel? Let’s find out the detailed steps in the content below!

What are the benefits of renaming sheets in Excel?

As we know, when creating a new workbook in Excel, sheets will be named by default in order: Sheet1, Sheet2, Sheet3, …. These default names can cause difficulties in searching, identifying, and referencing sheets later. Therefore, renaming sheets according to content is essential.

The benefits of renaming sheets in Excel can include:

  • Avoid confusion between sheets when working with multiple workbooks at the same time.
  • Create accurate and easy-to-understand formulas and link functions between sheets.
  • Make Excel reports and spreadsheets more visual, scientific, and professional.

How to rename each sheet in Excel

When you want to rename a specific sheet in Excel, you can choose one of the following methods:

Rename a sheet in Excel by double-clicking

Step 1: Open the Excel file on the computer > Place the mouse cursor on the sheet you want to rename and double-click on it.

Step 2: Then, enter the desired name for the sheet and press the Enter key or click anywhere on the worksheet to finish.

Use the right-click menu to rename sheets in Excel

Step 1: First, right-click on the name of the sheet you want to rename > Select Rename.

Step 2: Enter the new name to replace the old sheet name, and then press Enter to finish.

Renaming sheets through options on the Ribbon

The Ribbon is where many commands and options are set in Excel. You can also use the options on this Ribbon to rename sheets following the steps below:

Step 1: On the sheet you want to rename, click the Home tab > Select Format > Click on Rename Sheet.

Step 2: Then, enter the new name and press Enter to finish.

Use shortcuts to rename sheets in Excel

In addition to the above methods, you can use shortcuts on the keyboard to rename sheets in Excel.

Step 1: On the sheet you want to rename, press the shortcut Alt + H > Press the key O to select the current sheet to be formatted > Press the key R to rename.

Step 2: At this point, you will see the sheet name highlighted, you just need to enter the new name and press Enter to finish.

How to rename multiple sheets at once in Excel

If you want to rename multiple Excel sheets at the same time, including hidden sheets, you can perform the following steps:

Step 1: First, right-click on any sheet name and select View Code.

Step 2: The Visual Basic Editor window appears, press the View tab > Select Immediate Window.

Step 3: Next, copy the VBA code: For Each sh In Worksheets: sh.Name = “2023 – “&sh.Name: Next sh and paste the VBA code into the Immediate window. In which, 2023 is the prefix added to the names of the sheets, you can change the content as desired.

Step 4: Then, press Enter > Click the X button to close the Visual Basic Editor window and you will get the desired result.

Some notes when renaming sheets in Excel

When renaming sheets in Excel, you need to pay attention to the following:

  • The sheet name must not be left blank, must not match the name of the workbook or another sheet.
  • The sheet name must not begin with a number or special characters: / \ ? * : [ ].
  • The sheet name must not start or end with a single quote (‘), but you can place this mark in the middle or other positions in the sheet name.
  • The length of the sheet name should not exceed 31 characters.
  • When the sheet name is successfully changed, Excel will automatically update formulas or functions linked between sheets according to the new name.
  • Unable to name the sheet History because it is a reserved name used internally by Excel.

Conclusion

Recently, FPT Shop has shared with readers various ways to rename sheets in Excel. Good luck and hope you have gained useful knowledge in using Excel for your work.

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Frequently asked questions

To rename a sheet in Excel, first, double-click on the sheet tab you want to rename. Then, highlight the existing name and type in your new name. Finally, press Enter or click outside the tab to save the changes.

Yes, you can use the F2 key as a shortcut to rename a sheet. Simply select the sheet you want to rename, press F2, and then type in your new name.

When renaming sheets in Excel, it’s a good practice to use descriptive and meaningful names that reflect the content of the sheet. This makes it easier for you and others to navigate and understand your workbook. It’s also helpful to avoid special characters and spaces in sheet names, as they can cause issues in formulas and references.

Yes, you can rename multiple sheets at once by selecting the sheets you want to rename, right-clicking, and choosing ‘Rename’ from the menu. This will allow you to change the names of the selected sheets simultaneously.

If you want to restore the original name of a sheet, simply double-click on the sheet tab, delete the current name, and press Enter. Excel will automatically restore the default sheet name, typically ‘Sheet1’, ‘Sheet2’, and so on.