# How do I change the default settings of Excel?



## Kataangel

Hi,

The calculation settings for formulae are 'manual' every time I open a new Excel file. How do change the default settings so that every time I open Excel, the formulae calculations default is 'automatic'.

In other words, On my computer's version of Excel, the default for formulae calculation is set to manual. How do I set the default to automatic?


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## Glaswegian

Hi

Depends on the version of Excel - for older versions it's usually Tools > Options > Calculation. For 2007, it's the Formulas Ribbon > Calculation Options.


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## RSpecianjr

Hey,

Just to add to it, it is also dependant on the file. If the file was saved with calculations set to manual, it will open up that way regardless of the default setting.

Regards,

Robert D. Specian Jr.


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## Kataangel

I tried Glaswegian's method. It still doesn't work. The default for calculation options still remains 'manual' every time I open a new Excel file. I still have to press automatic every time I open a new Excel file and I don't want to do this.

I use Excel 2007.


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## RSpecianjr

Try opening a new file, switching it to automatic, saving the file as something then opening a new one again. You can then delete the saved file. 

If that doesn't work, the only thing I can think of is a corrupt file. Perhaps someone else has any ideas?


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## Dragoen

From doing some research on this, everyone is saying that Excel reads the "setting" (manual calc. or automatic calc.) of the first workbook opened during a session, and then applies that setting to all subsequent NEW sheets created during that session, regardless of how many sheets you open and save during that session, with it set to manual or automatic. However, if you subsequently open an existing sheet, the calculation mode for that sheet will be whatever was saved with that sheet the last time it was saved.

Here's where it gets foggy. If the last saved and closed workbook has a calc setting of manual and you shutdown Excel, what will the default worksheet setting (Book1) be the next time you open Excel and look at Calculation Options right away? In my tests it always says Automatic, but if I understand you Kat, yours is always in Manual, for the default Book1 sheet of a new Excel session, before you even open any saved files...is that correct? Try it and see. If it is set to Automatic then your situation is being caused by a file you are opening. If it's set to Manual, then that is a characteristic of your Excel installation and you could always try a re-install.

Unfortunately I could not find anything definitive on forcing the calculation setting to be automatic for the default worksheet of a new Excel session. Like I said, mine is that way already. People always recommend running Detect & Repair, or they try to sell you an Add-on for Excel that will allow you to address this issue. 

hth


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## Kataangel

Yes that is correct. Every time, I open a new Excel file, the calculation is 'manual' and I always have to change it (and sometimes I'm caught unaware).

I tried opening and resaving but no luck.


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## Dragoen

Kat,

I think I found the solution. Do a search of your hard drive for *.xltx, template files, specifically Book1.xltx. If you find one, edit it and see if the calculation mode is set to Manual. I couldn't find that file on my install so I took a default workbook and set the calc mode to manual, saved the template file. I used the default path suggested, {User}\Application 
Data\Microsoft\Templates. Then I closed down Excel, started it up and my default workbook was set to Manual calculation. So I reset it to Automatic calculation, saved that workbook as book1.xltx and repeated the process. The next default workbook was now set to automatic calculation. 

As an aside, from some other info I read, you can customize many settings that way as long as you do it to all three sheets in the template workbook, styles, fonts, etc.

Hope that does it for you!


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## Kataangel

Unfortunately, I tried Dragoen's method and modified the only Book1.xltx file in my hard drive but it still doesn't work. I double clicked
C:\Users\...\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates\Book1.xltx and set the calculation mode to automatic.

When I started Excel again (from my start menu), the formula calculation mode still remains "manual", not "automatic".

However, when I double clicked the template file .xltx again, the excel file that is open has its calculation mode set to automatic.

So my problem seems to only occur when I open the Excel from the start menu or when I try and create a new excel file from scratch. I don't know if there's any way to fix this?


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## Sofia Brown

Changing the default is done in the following way:

Create a new Excel document in which all default settings are set
e.g. fonts, styles, logo, header, footer, ...

Save the file as book.xlt in the excel system startup folder
File > Save as
Browse to the Excel system startup folder
File name : book
Save as : Template (*.xlt)

Note:Excel searches the following directories to open all files in it when it is started

'User Excel Startup Folder'
c:\winnt\Profiles\<userName>\Application Data\Microsoft\excel\xlstart
c:\Documents and Settings\<userName>\Application Data\Microsoft\excel\xlstart
'System Excel Startup Folder'
c:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\office\xlstart
'Alternate Startup Folder'
<Not set by Default>


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