Insert or delete a worksheet

In Excel, you can easily insert, rename, and delete worksheets in your workbook.

Newer versions Office 2010

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Insert a worksheet

• Select the   plus icon at the bottom of the screen.

• Or, select Home > Insert > Insert Sheet.

  

Rename a worksheet

• Double-click the sheet name on the Sheet tab to quickly rename it.

• Or, right-click on the Sheet tab, click Rename, and type a new name.

Delete a worksheet

• Right-click the Sheet tab and select Delete.

• Or, select the sheet, and then select Home > Delete > Delete Sheet.

  

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.

   What and where is the Microsoft Backstage Button?

   For more information about the Microsoft Backstage Button, see What and where is the Backstage?

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.

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.