Insert or delete a worksheet

Excel gives you three worksheets in a workbook, but you can add more worksheets (and other types of sheets, such as a chart sheet, macro sheet, or dialog sheet), rename them, or delete them as needed.

The name (or title) of a worksheet appears on its sheet tab at the bottom of the screen. By default, the name is Sheet1, Sheet2, and so on, but you can give any worksheet a more appropriate name.

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Note: Sheet tabs are displayed by default. If you don't see them, click Options > Advanced > Display options for this workbook > Show Sheet tabs.

To insert a new worksheet, do one of the following:

• Click the New sheet button at the bottom of the screen.

  

• To insert a new worksheet in front of an existing worksheet, select the existing worksheet and then, click Home > Insert, > Insert Sheet.

  

To change the order of the worksheets in a workbook, click the tab of the worksheet that you want to move, and then drag it to the location that you want.

What else do you want to do?

Insert multiple worksheets at the same time

Change the default number of worksheets in a new workbook

Rename a worksheet

Delete one or more worksheets

Insert multiple worksheets at the same time

1. Press Shift and select the same number of existing sheet tabs of the worksheets that you want to insert in the open workbook. For example, to add three worksheets, select three existing sheet tabs.

2. Click Home > Insert > Insert Sheet.

   

To change the order of the worksheets in a workbook, click the tab of the worksheet that you want to move, and then drag it to the location that you want.

Change the default number of worksheets in a new workbook

1. Click the File tab.

2. Click Options.

3. In the General category, under When creating new workbooks, in the Include this many sheets box, enter the number of sheets that you want to include by default when you create a new workbook.

Rename a worksheet

1. On the Sheet tab bar, right-click the sheet tab that you want to rename, and then click Rename.

   

2. Select the current name, and then type the new name.

Delete one or more worksheets

1. Select the worksheet or worksheets that you want to delete.

2. Click Home, click the arrow below Delete, and then click Delete Sheet.

   

You can also right-click the sheet tab of a worksheet or a sheet tab of any selected worksheets that you want to delete, and then click Delete Sheet.

Tips: 

• Sheet tabs appear automatically. If you don't see them, click File > Options > Advanced > Show sheet tabs.

• When you select multiple worksheets, [Group] appears in the title bar at the top of the worksheet. To cancel a selection of multiple worksheets in a workbook, click any unselected worksheet. If no unselected sheet is visible, right-click the tab of a selected sheet, and then click Ungroup Sheets on the shortcut menu.

• You can include the name of the sheet when you print the worksheet.

  1. Click Insert > Header & Footer.

  2. In the Page Layout View, click the location where you want the sheet name to appear.

  3. In the Header & Footer elements group, click Sheet Name .

Note: Sheet tabs are displayed by default. If you don't see them, click Options > Advanced > Display options for this workbook > Show Sheet tabs.

To insert a new worksheet, do one of the following:

• To quickly insert a new worksheet at the end of the existing worksheets, click the Insert Worksheet tab at the bottom of the screen.

  

• To insert a new worksheet in front of an existing worksheet, select that worksheet and then, on the Home tab, in the Cells group, click Insert, and then click Insert Sheet.

  

  Tip: You can also right-click the tab of an existing worksheet, and then click Insert. On the General tab, click Worksheet, and then click OK.

  Note: To change the order of the worksheets in a workbook, click the tab of the worksheet that you want to move, and then drag it to the location that you want.

What do you want to do?

Insert multiple worksheets at the same time

Change the default number of worksheets in a new workbook

Insert a new sheet that is based on a custom template

Rename a worksheet

Delete one or more worksheets

Insert multiple worksheets at the same time

1. Hold down SHIFT, and then select the same number of existing sheet tabs of the worksheets that you want to insert in the open workbook.

   For example, if you want to add three new worksheets, select three sheet tabs of existing worksheets.

2. On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click Insert, and then click Insert Sheet.

   

   Tip: You can also right-click the selected sheet tabs, and then click Insert. On the General tab, click Worksheet, and then click OK.

3. To change the order of the worksheets in a workbook, click the tab of the worksheet that you want to move, and then drag it to the location that you want.

Change the default number of worksheets in a new workbook

1. Click the File tab.

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2. Under Excel, click Options.

3. In the General category, under When creating new workbooks, in the Include this many sheets box, enter the number of sheets that you want to include by default when you create a new workbook.

4. Click any other tab to return to your file.

Insert a new sheet that is based on a custom template

1. If needed, create the worksheet template that you want to base a new worksheet on.

   How to create a worksheet template

   1. Select the worksheet that you want to use as a template.

   2. Click the File tab.

   3. Under Info, click Save As.

   4. In the File name box, type the name of the worksheet template.

      • To create a custom worksheet template, type the file name that you want to use.

      • To create the default worksheet template, type sheet.

        Note: Custom templates are automatically saved in the Templates folder. The default worksheet template, sheet.xltx or sheet.xltm, should be saved in the XLStart folder, which is usually C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14\XLStart.

   5. Do one of the following:

      • On a computer that is running Windows Vista, in the list, click Excel Template or Excel Macro-Enabled Template.

      • On a computer that is running Microsoft Windows XP, in the Save as type box, click Excel Template or Excel Macro-Enabled Template.

   6. Click Save.

2. Right-click the sheet tab of a worksheet, and then click Insert.

3. Double-click the template for the type of sheet that you want.

Rename a worksheet

1. On the Sheet tab bar, right-click the sheet tab that you want to rename, and then click Rename Sheet.

   

2. Select the current name, and then type the new name.

   Tip: You can include the name of the sheet when you print the worksheet.

   How to print sheet names

   1. On the Insert tab, in the Text group, click Header & Footer.

   2. In the Page Layout View, click the location where you want the sheet name to appear.

   3. In the Header & Footer elements group, click Sheet Name .

Delete one or more worksheets

1. Select the worksheet or worksheets that you want to delete.

   Tip: When multiple worksheets are selected, [Group] appears in the title bar at the top of the worksheet. To cancel a selection of multiple worksheets in a workbook, click any unselected worksheet. If no unselected sheet is visible, right-click the tab of a selected sheet, and then click Ungroup Sheets on the shortcut menu.

2. On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click the arrow next to Delete, and then click Delete Sheet.

   

   Tip: You can also right-click the sheet tab of a worksheet or a sheet tab of any selected worksheets that you want to delete, and then click Delete Sheet.

Note: Sheet tabs are displayed by default. If you don't see them, click Excel Options > Advanced > Display options for this workbook > Show Sheet tabs.

To insert a new worksheet, do one of the following:

• To quickly insert a new worksheet at the end of the existing worksheets, click the Insert Worksheet tab at the bottom of the screen.

  

• To insert a new worksheet in front of an existing worksheet, select that worksheet and then, on the Home tab, in the Cells group, click Insert, and then click Insert Sheet.

  

  Tip: You can also right-click the tab of an existing worksheet, and then click Insert. On the General tab, click Worksheet, and then click OK.

What do you want to do?

Insert multiple worksheets at the same time

Change the default number of worksheets in a new workbook

Insert a new sheet that is based on a custom template

Rename a worksheet

Delete one or more worksheets

Insert multiple worksheets at the same time

1. Hold down SHIFT, and then select the same number of existing sheet tabs of the worksheets that you want to insert in the open workbook.

   For example, if you want to add three new worksheets, select three sheet tabs of existing worksheets.

2. On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click Insert, and then click Insert Sheet.

   

   Tip: You can also right-click the selected sheet tabs, and then click Insert. On the General tab, click Worksheet, and then click OK.

Change the default number of worksheets in a new workbook

1. Click the Microsoft Office Button > Excel Options.

2. In the Popular category, under When creating new workbooks, in the Include this many sheets box, enter the number of sheets that you want to include by default when you create a new workbook.

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Insert a new sheet that is based on a custom template

1. If needed, create the worksheet template that you want to base a new worksheet on.

   How to create a worksheet template

   1. Select the worksheet that you want to use as a template.

   2. Click Microsoft Office Button , and then click Save As.

   3. In the File name box, type the name of the worksheet template.

      • To create a custom worksheet template, type the file name that you want to use.

      • To create the default worksheet template, type sheet.

        Note: Custom templates are automatically saved in the Templates folder. The default worksheet template, sheet.xltx or sheet.xltm, should be saved in the XLStart folder, which is usually C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\XLStart.

   4. On a computer that is running Windows Vista    

      • In the list, click Excel Template or Excel Macro-Enabled Template.

        On a computer that is running Microsoft Windows XP    

        • In the Save as type box, click Excel Template or Excel Macro-Enabled Template.

   5. Click Save.

2. Right-click the sheet tab of a worksheet, and then click Insert.

3. Double-click the template for the type of sheet that you want.

Rename a worksheet

1. On the Sheet tab bar, right-click the sheet tab that you want to rename, and then click Rename.

   

2. Select the current name, and then type the new name.

   Tip: You can include the name of the sheet when you print the worksheet.

   How to print sheet names

1. On the Insert tab, in the Text group, click Header & Footer.

2. In the Page Layout View, click the location where you want the sheet name to appear.

3. In the Header & Footer elements group, click Sheet Name .

Delete one or more worksheets

1. Select the worksheet or worksheets that you want to delete.

   Tip: When multiple worksheets are selected, [Group] appears in the title bar at the top of the worksheet. To cancel a selection of multiple worksheets in a workbook, click any unselected worksheet. If no unselected sheet is visible, right-click the tab of a selected sheet, and then click Ungroup Sheets on the shortcut menu.

2. On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click the arrow next to Delete, and then click Delete Sheet.

   

   Tip: You can also right-click the sheet tab of a worksheet or a sheet tab of any selected worksheets that you want to delete, and then click Delete.

Need more help?

You can always ask an expert in the Excel Tech Community, get support in the Answers community, or suggest a new feature or improvement on Excel User Voice.

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