Rename a worksheet

By default, Excel names worksheets Sheet1, Sheet2, Sheet3 and so on, but you can easily rename them.

3 ways to rename a worksheet

1. Double-click the sheet tab, and type the new name.

2. Right-click the sheet tab, click Rename, and type the new name.

3. Use the keyboard shortcut Alt+H > O > R, and type the new name.

Important: Worksheet names cannot:

• Be blank.

• Contain more than 31 characters.

• Contain any of the following characters: / \ ? * : [ ]

  For example, 02/17/2016 would not be a valid worksheet name, but 02-17-2016 would work fine.

• Begin or end with an apostrophe ('), but they can be used in between text or numbers in a name.

• Be named "History". This is a reserved word Excel uses internally.

Rename a workbook

If you want to rename a workbook, first locate it in Windows Explorer, then you can press F2, or right-click and select Rename, then type the new name.

If your workbook is already open, then you can go to File > Save As to save the workbook with a different name. This will create a copy of the existing workbook.

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.

See Also

Insert or delete a worksheet

Video: Move or copy worksheets

Quick start: Print a worksheet

Group worksheets

Protect a worksheet