Excel vba sheets activate

While working in VBA we sometimes refer to another sheet or use another sheet’s properties, suppose we are in sheet 1 working but we want a value from cell A2 in sheet 2, if we refer to sheet 2’s value without activating the sheet first then we will not be able to access the value so to activate a sheet in VBA we use worksheet property as Worksheets(“Sheet2”).Activate.

In Excel, we always work with worksheets. Worksheets have their name to identify better. In regular spreadsheet workings, we directly navigate through shortcut keysAn Excel shortcut is a technique of performing a manual task in a quicker way.read more, or select the sheet by clicking on them. However, in VBA, it is not that easy. First, we need to specify the sheet name we are referring to. Then, we can use the “Select” method to select the sheet.

What is VBA Activate Method?

As the name says, it activates the specified worksheet. To activate the sheet, we need to mention the exact worksheet name using the worksheets object. For example, if you want to activate a ” Sales sheet,” you can use the code below.

Worksheets(“Sales”).Activate

Syntax

So, the syntax of the Activate method is as follows:

Worksheet (“Name of the Sheet”).Activate

Here, a worksheet is the object, and activates are the method.

You can download this VBA Activate Sheet Excel Template here – VBA Activate Sheet Excel Template

Example #1 – Activate Sheet by its Index Number

In Excel, we work with multiple sets of worksheets. Often, we need to move from one sheet to another to get the job done. In VBA, we can use the Activate method to activate the particular Excel sheet.

For example, we have created three sheets: “Sales 2015”, “Sales 2016”, and “Sales 2017.”

We can activate the sheets in two ways. One is by using sheet index numbers, and another is by using the sheet name.

If we want to select the second sheet, we will use the worksheet object and mention the sheet index number as 2.

Code:

Sub Activate_Example1()

   Worksheets(2).Activate

End Sub

When you run the code using the F5 key or manually, this will activate the second sheet, “Sales 2016”.

If we want to activate the third sheet, we will use 3 as the sheet index number.

Code:

Sub Activate_Example1()

    Worksheets(3).Activate

End Sub

It will activate the third sheet, “Sales 2017.”

Now, we will interchange the second and third sheets.

Technically, “Sales 2017” is our third sheet, and “Sales 2016 is our second sheet. So, now we will use the sheet index number as 3 and see what happens.

Code:

Sub Activate_Example1()

    Worksheets(3).Activate

End Sub

In our view, it has to select the “Sales 2017” sheet, but it will select the “Sales 2016” sheet because in the order, “Sales 2016” is the third sheet.

So, activating the sheet by its name is always a safe option.

Example #2 – Activate Sheet by its Name

Now, we will see how to activate sheets by their name. In the place of a sheet index number, we need to mention the sheet name in double quotes.

Code:

Sub Activate_Example2()

    Worksheets("Sales 2016").Activate

End Sub

When we run the code manually or using shortcut key F5, this would activate the sheet “Sales 2016” irrespective of the position in the workbook.

Not only the worksheets object, but we can also use the “Sheets” object to activate the sheet.

Below is the code.

Code:

Sub Activate_Example2()

    Sheets("Sales 2016").Activate

End Sub

Worksheets can access only worksheets object and cannot access “Chart” sheets. However, if we use the Sheets object, we can access all the sheets in the workbook.

Example #3 – Activate Sheet from Another Workbook

Like how we need to mention the sheet name to activate the particular sheet, activating the sheet from another workbook also requires the “Workbook” name.

Code:

Sub Activate_Example3()

    Workbooks("Sales File.xlsx").Sheets("Sales 2016").Activate

End Sub

It will activate the “Sales 2016” sheet from the workbook “Sales File.xlsx.”

Activate Sheet vs. Select Sheet Method

We can use methods to perform the same action, i.e., Activate and Select. However, there is a slight difference between these two methods.

#1 – Activate Method

By using the Activate method, we can only activate the specified worksheet.

For example, look at the below code.

Code:

Sub Activate_Example()

    Worksheets("Sales 2016").Activate

End Sub

As we know, this code will select the worksheet “Sales 2016”.

#2 – Select Method

By using the Select method, we can perform other tasks as well.

Now, look at the below code.

Code:

This code not only activates the sheet “Sales 2016” but also selects the range of cells from A1 to A10.

Recommended Articles

This article has been a guide to VBA Activate Sheet. Here, we learn how to use the activate method in VBA to activate a particular Excel sheet, along with practical examples and downloadable templates. Below you can find some useful Excel VBA articles: –

• VBA TimeValue
• VBA DatePart Examples
• Option Explicit in VBA
• VBA Remove Duplicates
• VBA StatusBar

This article will discuss the ActiveSheet object in VBA. It will also discuss how to activate, select, and go to Worksheets (& much more). Read our full VBA Worksheets Guide for more information about working with worksheets in VBA.

ActiveSheet

In VBA, ActiveSheet refers to the currently active Worksheet. Only one Sheet may be active at a time.

Activate Worksheet (Setting the ActiveSheet)

To set the ActiveSheet use Worksheet.Activate:

Worksheets("Input").Activate

The Activate Sheet command will actually “go to” the sheet, changing the visible Sheet.

The above example uses the Sheet (Tab) name.  Instead you can use the VBA code name for the worksheet:

Sheet1.Activate

ActiveSheet Name

To get the ActiveSheet Name:

msgbox ActiveSheet.name

Selected Sheets vs ActiveSheet

At any point in time, only one Sheet can be the ActiveSheet. However, multiple Worksheets can be selected at once.

When multiple Worksheets are selected only the “top-most” Worksheet is considered active (the ActiveSheet).

Select Worksheet

If you would like to select a worksheet instead of activating it. Use .Select instead.

Select Worksheet by Tab Name

This selects a Worksheet based on it’s Sheet Tab Name

Sheets("Input").Select

Select Worksheet by Index Number

This selects a Worksheet based on it’s position relative to other tabs

Worksheets(1).Select

Select Worksheet With VBA Code Name

Sheet1.Select

Selecting worksheets by code name can prevent errors caused by worksheet name changes.

Select Current Worksheet

To select the current Worksheet, use the ActiveSheet object:

ActiveSheet.Select

More Activate / Select Sheet Examples

VBA Programming | Code Generator does work for you!

Set ActiveSheet to Variable

This will assign the ActiveSheet to a Worksheet Object Variable.

Dim ws As Worksheet

Set ws = ActiveSheet

Change ActiveSheet Name

This will change the ActiveSheet Name.

ActiveSheet.Name = "NewName"

With ActiveSheet

Using the With Statement allows you to streamline your code when working with objects (such as Sheets or ActiveSheet).

With ActiveSheet
    .Name = "StartFresh"
    .Cells.Clear
    .Range("A1").Value = .Name
End With

Notice how you don’t need to repeat “ActiveSheet” before each line of code. This can be a huge time saver when working with a long list of commands.

Loop Through Selected Sheets

The following macro will Loop through all selected sheets, displaying their names.

Sub GetSelectedSheetsName()
    Dim ws As Worksheet

    For Each ws In ActiveWindow.SelectedSheets
         MsgBox ws.Name
    Next ws

End Sub

GoTo Next Sheet

This code will go to the next Sheet. If the ActiveSheet is the last Sheet, then it will go to the first Sheet in the Workbook.

If ActiveSheet.Index = Worksheets.Count Then
    Worksheets(1).Activate
Else
    ActiveSheet.Next.Activate
End If

<<Return to VBA Examples

Excel VBA Activate Sheet

For activating or selecting a sheet in excel, we manually go to the sheet and click on the Sheet tab. But when we write a code where we need to link the different sheets in different forms, then we can use the VBA Activate Sheet function. This can be done with the help of the “.Activate” command in VBA. This will automatically select or activate the sheet for further use.

Activating a sheet means selecting that sheet. And to know whether that sheet is activated or selected, it is better to check after running the code in excel if we are able to see the current sheet or not.

How to Activate the Sheet in Excel VBA?

Below are the different examples to activate sheet in excel using VBA code.

You can download this VBA Activate Sheet Excel Template here – VBA Activate Sheet Excel Template

VBA Activate Sheet – Example #1

There are various ways to activate a sheet in VBA. For this, we have considered 3 sheets named as First, Second and Third as shown below. Purpose of naming each sheet is to distinguish between sheet number and sheet name, which will be used in upcoming examples.

Follow the below steps to activate sheet in Excel VBA.

Step 1: Now go to VBA and from the Insert menu tab, select Module as shown below.

The module is the place where we will write the code for Activating Sheet. After that, we will get a new module opened.

Step 2: In that module, create Subcategory of function in any name. For better understanding, we have created it in the name of VBA Activate Sheet in sequence. This will help in tracking the proper module.

Code:

Sub VBA_ActivateSheet1()

End Sub

Step 3: Now use Sheets function for selecting any sheet.

Code:

Sub VBA_ActivateSheet1()

Sheets("First")

End Sub

Step 4: Now to actually selecting or activating the sheet in excel use Activate command trailed by dot (.)

Code:

Sub VBA_ActivateSheet1()

Sheets("First").Activate

End Sub

By this, we allow the sheet named as “First” to get selected whenever the code calls for it.

Step 5: Now do the same for sheet name Second and Third as shown below.

Code:

Sub VBA_ActivateSheet1()

Sheets("First").Activate
Sheets("Second").Activate
Sheets("Third").Activate

End Sub

Step 6: Now compile the code step-by-step or in one go. The small code can be compiled in one go which may not give an error. After that run the code by clicking on the Play button which is below the menu bar.

We will see that the Third Sheet will get selected as it was located at the end. If we do step-by-step compile then we will be able to see who First, Second and Third Sheet are getting activated by pressing F8 Key.

As the compiler passes through the first line, we will see sheet First is activated as shown below.

Again pressing F8 Key, the compiler will pass through the second line of code and we can see sheet Second is activated.

And when compiler reached to End Sub of the code structure, we will sheet Third is activated as shown below.

VBA Activate Sheet – Example #2

We can also use Worksheet command to select and activate any sheet. This process is quite similar to example-1. For this again we will consider the file sheet name First, Second and Third. Follow the below steps to activate sheet in Excel VBA.

Step 1: In Module, start writing Subcategory of VBA Activate Sheet in sequence as shown below.

Code:

Sub VBA_ActivateSheet2()

End Sub

Step 2: As we used Sheet command for activating Sheet, here we will use Worksheet command.

Code:

Sub VBA_ActivateSheet2()

Worksheets("First")

End Sub

Step 3: Now use Activate function trailed by dot(.) here as well to activate the sheet.

Code:

Sub VBA_ActivateSheet2()

Worksheets("First").Activate

End Sub

Step 4: Now do the same for Sheet Second and Third as well.

Code:

Sub VBA_ActivateSheet2()

Worksheets("First").Activate
Worksheets("Second").Activate
Worksheets("Third").Activate

End Sub

Step 5: Once done then compile the code. Here we will do step-by-step compile to see the changes. For press F8 which does step-by-step compiling and run the code as well. As the compiler passes through the second line of code, we will see in the Excel sheet Second is activated or selected.

Step 6: Again press the F8 key to select the next sheet. We will see, as compiler passes through the third line of code and reaches to end, sheet named Third is activated or selected.

VBA Activate Sheet – Example #3

There is another way to activate any worksheet. For this also we will consider the same set of sheets with same names First, Second and Third as used in the above examples. In this example, we will see 3 combinations of Sheet and Worksheet function along with Select, which we will use in place of Activate. The select function works in the same manner as Activate. Using a combination of different function for the same use we will see how the output varies.

Follow the below steps to activate sheet in Excel VBA.

Step 1: For this open a module and put the subcategory in the name of the performed function or in any other name as per your choice. We are keeping the name but in sequence, as shown below.

Code:

Sub VBA_ActivateSheet3()

End Sub

Step 2: Again in the same manner use Sheets function with sheet name as shown below.

Code:

Sub VBA_ActivateSheet3()

Sheets("First")

End Sub

Step 3: After that use Select function trailed by dot (.)

Code:

Sub VBA_ActivateSheet3()

Sheets("First").Select

End Sub

Step 4: Now in the second line of code, we will use Sheets function along with Activate for sheet named Second as shown below.

Code:

Sub VBA_ActivateSheet3()

Sheets("First").Select
Sheets("Second").Activate

End Sub

Step 5: And for the last sheet named as Third we will use Worksheets along with Select function to activate it as shown below.

Code:

Sub VBA_ActivateSheet3()

Sheets("First").Select
Sheets("Second").Activate
Worksheets("Third").Select

End Sub

Step 6: Now compile the complete code and run the code step-by-step to see the changes by pressing the F8 key. As the compiler passes through the first line of code, sheet First will be activated.

As the compile goes through the second line of code, sheet Second will be activated.

And at last, when compiler comes to End Sub, sheet Third will get activated as shown below.

This is how we can use a combination of Sheets and Worksheets along with Activate and Select functions to activate any worksheet.

Pros of Excel VBA Activate Sheet

• Selecting any sheet in excel as well as with VBA is quite easy.
• This function is quite helpful when our code is linked with data with different worksheets.

Things to Remember

• Select and Activate function has the same work of activating any worksheet. Although the name is different.
• Different combination of Select and Activate along with Sheets and Worksheet is possible for activating one or multiple worksheets.
• Activating any sheets means selecting of that worksheet.
• Once done with implementing code, save the file in Macro Enable Worksheet. This helps in saving the code so that we can use it multiple times without any loss.

Recommended Articles

This is a guide to VBA Activate Sheet. Here we discussed how to Activate sheet in Excel using VBA code along with some practical examples and downloadable excel template. You can also go through our other suggested articles –

1. VBA Range Cells
2. VBA RGB
3. VBA Name Worksheet
4. VBA Delete Sheet