Is there anything you have seen someone do in Excel and have always wondered how? Want to automate tasks? This guide will teach you how to record macros in Excel.

Requirements and availability

To record a macro in Excel? All you would need is Microsoft Excel installed on your laptop.

Macros
If you’re a newbie to VBA, let me first tell you what a macro is – after all, I will keep using this term in the entire tutorial. A macro is an automation of tasks in Excel. You can either use Excel’s Record Macro feature to create a macro or write out the macro yourself from scratch; this will require knowledge of VBA (Visual Basic for Application, the code language in Excel).

Getting the Developer Tab in the Ribbon

Oftentimes especially for first-timers, the ‘Record Macro’ feature is not accessible in Excel. It becomes easily accessible upon enabling the Developer menu. Here’s how to enable the Developer menu: 

1. Click on ‘File’ at the upper left of the Excel window, 
2. Click on ‘Options’. This opens a dialogue box.
3. Click on the ‘Customize the Ribbon’ option. 
4. On the right-hand side; within the Main Tabs pane, check for the Developer option.
5. Click OK to apply changes.

How to Record a Macro in Excel?
Now that you’ve got the developer tab, let’s record a macro.

1. In the Developer’s tab, you will find ‘Record Macro’.
2. Click on it and a Record Macro dialog box will pop up. This contains
   1. Enter a Macro name. Choose a name that clearly identifies the macro. You can not use spaces.
   2. Enter a Shortcut key. You will be able to run the macro using this shortcut key.
   3. Choose where to store the macro. The default is often your current Workbook.
   4. Enter a Description. Briefly write what the macro hopes to achieve. 
   5. Click OK.

3. After clicking OK, every step you take right after is recorded.
4. To stop recording, go back to the developer tab and click ‘Stop Recording’.

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