Excel is a powerful tool that can help you automate repetitive tasks and save time. One of the most useful features of Excel is macros, which allow you to record a series of actions and then play them back with a single click. However, if you’re working with multiple windows in Excel, you may find that your macro isn’t switching between windows as you’d like. In this article, we’ll show you how to switch windows in a macro in Excel.
Understanding Windows in Excel
Before we dive into how to switch windows in a macro, let’s first understand what we mean by “windows” in Excel. When you open a workbook in Excel, it opens in a new window. You can have multiple windows open at the same time, each displaying a different workbook. You can switch between windows by clicking on the appropriate window in the taskbar at the bottom of your screen.
Switching Windows in a Macro
When you record a macro in Excel, it records the actions you take in the active window. If you have multiple windows open, the active window is the one that you’re currently working in. If you want to switch to a different window in your macro, you need to tell Excel which window to activate.
Using the Windows Collection
The easiest way to switch windows in a macro is to use the Windows collection. The Windows collection is a collection of all the open windows in Excel. You can use the Windows collection to activate a specific window by its index number.
Here’s an example macro that switches to the second window:
Sub SwitchToSecondWindow()
Windows(2).Activate
End Sub
In this macro, we’re using the Activate method to activate the second window in the Windows collection. You can replace the number 2 with the index number of the window you want to activate.
Using the Application.Windows Object
If you prefer to use the Application object instead of the Windows collection, you can use the Windows property of the Application object to access the Windows collection. Here’s an example macro that switches to the second window using the Application.Windows object:
Sub SwitchToSecondWindow()
Application.Windows(2).Activate
End Sub
In this macro, we’re using the Activate method to activate the second window in the Windows collection accessed through the Application.Windows property.
Conclusion
Switching windows in a macro in Excel is a simple process once you understand how to access the Windows collection. By using the Windows collection or the Application.Windows object, you can activate any open window in Excel and automate your workflow even further.
