How to refresh excel sheet

Harrison Clayton July 13, 2022 19

Working with large datasets and complicated formulas in Microsoft Excel can sometimes lead to slow and unresponsive excel sheets. This can be frustrating, especially when you need to access the most up-to-date information or make changes to the data.

In this guide, we will walk you through the process of refreshing an Excel sheet so that you can ensure accurate and updated data. Whether you need to update formulas, retrieve new data from an external source, or simply reload the sheet to clear any potential errors, refreshing is an essential skill for Excel users.

Step 1: Pressing F9 to Refresh Caluculations

The quickest way to refresh formulas and calculations in Excel is by using the F9 key on your keyboard. With your Excel sheet open, simply press F9 and Excel will recalculate all formulas in the sheet, updating the values to reflect any new data or changes.

However, keep in mind that pressing F9 will only refresh the calculations within the cells, not any external data connections or queries. If your sheet relies on external data sources like databases, web services, or other Excel files, you will need to follow additional steps to ensure all data is refreshed.

Continue reading the article to learn how to refresh Excel sheets when working with external data connections and queries.

Refreshing Excel Sheet: Step-by-Step Guide

If you’re working with Excel, you may find it necessary to refresh your data periodically to ensure you have up-to-date information. Refreshing an Excel sheet is a simple process that can be done in a few easy steps. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you refresh your Excel sheet:

Open the Excel file that contains the sheet you want to refresh.
Select the worksheet you wish to refresh by clicking on its tab at the bottom of the Excel window.
Look for the “Refresh” or “Refresh All” button in the main toolbar of Excel. The location of this button may vary depending on your Excel version and configuration.
Click on the “Refresh” or “Refresh All” button to update the data on the selected worksheet. This will retrieve any new data from the original data source.
Wait for the refresh process to complete. Depending on the amount of data and the complexity of the data source, this may take a few seconds or longer.
Review the refreshed data on the worksheet to ensure it has been updated successfully.
Save the Excel file to retain the refreshed data for future use.

And that’s it! Following these steps will enable you to easily refresh your Excel sheet and ensure you’re always working with the most current data.

Manual Refresh

To manually refresh an Excel sheet, follow these steps:

Step 1: Go to the “Data” tab on the Excel ribbon located on the top of the application.

Step 2: Click on the “Refresh All” button in the “Connections” group.

This will refresh all the data connections in your workbook, including any external data sources. It will update the data with the most recent changes.

Note: If your data connections are set to automatically refresh when you open the workbook, you may not need to manually refresh.

By following these steps, you can manually refresh the Excel sheet to ensure that the data is up to date.

Automatic Refresh

To enable automatic refresh in Excel, follow the steps below:

Open the Excel file that you want to refresh automatically.
Click on the “Data” tab in the Excel ribbon.
Select the “Queries & Connections” group.
Click on the “Refresh All” button.

Once you have done the above steps, Excel will automatically refresh the data in the file. This means that any changes or updates in the data source will be reflected in the Excel file without you having to manually refresh it.

This feature is particularly useful when working with data that is constantly being updated, such as data connected to an external database or a web page. By enabling automatic refresh, you can ensure that your Excel file always displays the latest information.

Note that the availability of the automatic refresh feature may vary depending on the version of Excel you are using. Additionally, the refresh rate can also be customized based on your needs. You can specify the interval at which Excel should refresh the data, such as every minute or every hour.

By enabling automatic refresh in Excel, you can save time and keep your data up to date effortlessly.

Refresh Settings

In Excel, you can refresh your spreadsheet manually or automatically to ensure that you have the latest data. There are different options available to customize your refresh settings:

Manual Refresh:

To manually refresh your Excel sheet, you can use the Refresh button in the Data tab on the Ribbon. This allows you to update the data in your worksheet whenever you want. Simply click on the Refresh button to retrieve the latest information from the data source.

Automatic Refresh:

If you want your Excel sheet to refresh automatically, you can set up a refresh interval. This means that your spreadsheet will update itself at regular intervals without any manual intervention from you. To do this, go to the Data tab on the Ribbon and click on the Refresh All button. From the drop-down menu, select the Refresh All Connections option. Then, choose the Refresh data when opening the file option, and set the refresh interval using the Refresh every option.

Connection Refresh Options:

When you have multiple connections in your Excel sheet, you can choose to refresh them in different ways. To do this, go to the Data tab on the Ribbon and click on the Connections button. Then, select the connection you want to customize and click on the Properties button. In the Connection Properties dialog box, go to the Usage tab and select the desired refresh options:

Refresh Every: This option allows you to set a refresh interval for the selected connection.
Refresh when opening the file: When this option is selected, the connection will automatically refresh when you open the Excel file.
Refresh data when you save the file: If you choose this option, the connection will refresh when you save changes to the Excel file.