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How to Record a Macro in Excel

Tap each step to follow along in order.

  1. Enable the "Developer" tab

    Go to File β†’ Options β†’ Customize Ribbon and check "Developer" to add it to the ribbon.

  2. Click "Record Macro"

    On the Developer tab, click "Record Macro" and give it a name.

  3. Perform the actions you want to automate

    Carry out the clicks, formatting, and typing you want to repeat, exactly as you normally would.

  4. Click "Stop Recording"

    Once you are done, click "Stop Recording" on the Developer tab to finish saving the macro.

  5. Run the saved macro

    Select the saved macro from the Macros menu and run it to automatically repeat the recorded actions.

If you want to automate a repetitive task

If you find yourself applying the same formatting or reorganizing data in the same sequence over and over, recording a macro lets you save that whole process once and then run it again with a single click any time you need it.

Check out data validation too

Building a dropdown list with data validation is another way to make a spreadsheet more efficient to work with, especially for forms that multiple people fill in.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to know how to code to record a macro?

No. Recording a macro simply captures your actual mouse and keyboard actions, so you can use it without writing any code at all.

Does a file with a macro need to be saved differently?

Yes. To keep the macro intact, you need to save the file as an .xlsm (macro-enabled workbook) rather than a regular .xlsx file.