For the next worksheet, use Ctrl+Page Down on Windows desktop, Option+Right Arrow on Mac desktop, or Ctrl+Alt+Page Down in Excel for the web. For the previous worksheet, use Ctrl+Page Up, Option+Left Arrow, or Ctrl+Alt+Page Up respectively. To reach a named sheet, select its tab or use a supported sheet selector below.
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Keyboard shortcuts for worksheets
| Platform | Worksheet command |
|---|---|
| Windows desktop | Next: Ctrl+Page Down Previous: Ctrl+Page Up |
| Mac desktop | Next: Option+Right Arrow Previous: Option+Left Arrow |
| Excel for the web | Next: Ctrl+Alt+Page Down Previous: Ctrl+Alt+Page Up |
These instructions cover Excel desktop and Excel for the web. Google Sheets is a separate app; the Excel web row is not a Google Sheets shortcut reference.
Activate the intended workbook and read the current worksheet tab name. Finish or cancel cell editing and close any dialog before using a navigation shortcut. Start with a single worksheet, not a group of selected sheets.
Use the next or previous command for your platform in the keyboard table. Read the newly active tab name after each command; no cell range needs selecting.
In Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows or Mac, right-click the status bar and enable Sheet Number. Select the sheet count, then select the sheet name you want.
In Excel for the web, open All Sheets and select the sheet name. You can also scroll until the required tab is visible, then select that tab.
To return, select the starting tab or use the previous-sheet command for the required adjacent steps. Check the active sheet name again before editing cells.
Check the active sheet in a 13-tab workbook
For practice, use a spare workbook with these 13 visible worksheet tabs in the listed order. The names are a tab-order reference, not cells to paste. Use one active sheet and start each result check from its stated tab.
| Position | Tab name |
|---|---|
| 1 | Jan |
| 2 | Feb |
| 3 | Mar |
| 4 | Apr |
| 5 | May |
| 6 | Jun |
| 7 | Jul |
| 8 | Aug |
| 9 | Sep |
| 10 | Oct |
| 11 | Nov |
| 12 | Dec |
| 13 | Summary |
If columns are cut off, scroll the table sideways.
| Start | Command | Expected active tab |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | Next sheet once | Feb |
| Feb | Previous sheet once | Jan |
| Jan | Next sheet 11 times | Dec |
| Jan | Next sheet 12 times | Summary |
If columns are cut off, scroll the table sideways.
- There are 13 visible worksheets: Jan through Dec, followed by Summary. Do not change the tab order while comparing the results.
- Read the active tab name: Jan → Feb after one next command; Feb → Jan after one previous command.
- Start from Jan again: 11 next commands reach Dec; 12 next commands reach Summary. Both counts stay within this example’s tab order.
- For a named jump, select Summary through the available sheet selector, or scroll until Summary is visible and select its tab.
- Switching sheets requires no copied data or formula. Check the active worksheet before making a later edit.
Documentation reviewed .
Microsoft: Keyboard shortcuts in ExcelMicrosoft: Select worksheetsMicrosoft: Use the Navigation pane in Excel
What this does
Worksheet navigation changes the active sheet within the current workbook. It does not copy cells, rearrange tabs or rename a sheet. The tab-navigation arrows can reveal an offscreen tab; scrolling is not the same as activating it. Select the actual tab after scrolling. On Windows, Ctrl+Tab changes dialog tabs or workbook windows rather than worksheet tabs. Keep worksheet navigation separate from your browser tabs as well, and use the web-specific keys when working in Excel for the web.
A worked example
Use the 13 visible tabs listed in the walkthrough in that exact order, with no hidden sheets. Start each check from its stated tab: Jan plus one next-sheet command reaches Feb; Feb plus one previous-sheet command reaches Jan. From Jan, 11 next-sheet commands reach Dec and 12 reach Summary. Return to Jan before starting either longer check. These are moves between adjacent worksheets, not a toggle between two tabs. To skip the intervening worksheets, select Summary by name with an available sheet selector or reveal its tab and select it. None of these checks requires changing a cell value.
Find a named worksheet
In Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows and Mac, enable Sheet Number by right-clicking the status bar. Select the sheet count, then select Summary to bring that sheet into focus. View > Navigation opens the Navigation pane in those Microsoft 365 desktop apps; selecting a listed element brings its sheet and that element into focus. Use that pane when you also want to find a table or another listed workbook element. In Excel for the web, open All Sheets and select Summary. If a selector is unavailable in your edition, scroll the tab strip until Summary is visible, then select its tab. If the expected name is missing, first check that you opened the intended workbook and that its visible tabs match this example; do not assume that every missing name is a hidden sheet.
Common mistakes
- Scrolling the tab strip and assuming the active worksheet changed; select the required tab after revealing it.
- Starting the 11- or 12-command check from Feb instead of Jan, or using a different visible tab order.
- Using desktop keys in a browser without checking the Excel web row, or confusing worksheet tabs with workbook windows.
- Selecting multiple worksheet tabs with Shift or Ctrl when the task only needs one active sheet; grouped sheets can receive edits together.
Frequently asked questions
What moves to the next or previous worksheet?
Windows desktop uses Ctrl+Page Down and Ctrl+Page Up. Mac desktop uses Option+Right Arrow and Option+Left Arrow. Excel for the web documents Ctrl+Alt+Page Down and Ctrl+Alt+Page Up; see the browser note above.
How do I select Summary without visiting every month?
Use Sheet Number on the status bar in Microsoft 365 desktop, or All Sheets in Excel for the web, then select Summary. The general alternative is to reveal the Summary tab by scrolling and then select it.
Do the navigation arrows activate the first or last worksheet?
Keep scrolling and activation separate: reveal the tab you need, then select it. To activate Jan or Summary in this example, select that named tab or use the supported named-sheet selector.
How do I go back to my starting worksheet?
Select its tab or use the opposite adjacent-sheet command. In the example, one previous-sheet command from Feb returns to Jan.