If the sheet tabs have disappeared from the bottom of Excel, go to File > Options > Advanced, scroll to Display options for this workbook, check Show sheet tabs and click OK. If that box is already checked, the tabs are probably covered by the scroll bar, the sheet is hidden, or the Excel window is partly off the screen. Each fix takes less than a minute.
These steps work in Excel for Microsoft 365, Excel 2024, 2021, 2019 and 2016 on Windows. Mac and web steps are near the end.
Fix 1: Turn on “Show sheet tabs”
- Click File > Options.
- Select Advanced on the left.
- Scroll to Display options for this workbook. Check that the workbook named in the drop-down is the one you’re working in.
- Check Show sheet tabs and click OK.
This setting is saved with each workbook, which is why tabs can be missing in one file and visible in another.
Fix 2: Move the horizontal scroll bar
The horizontal scroll bar shares space with the tabs. If someone dragged it all the way left, it hides them. Point at the small vertical dots (the splitter) at the left end of the scroll bar until the cursor becomes a double arrow, then drag it to the right. The tabs reappear as you drag.
If you see some tabs but one sheet is missing, it’s probably hidden.
- Right-click any visible tab and choose Unhide.
- Select the sheet in the list. In Excel for Microsoft 365 you can hold Ctrl to pick several.
- Click OK.
You can also use Home > Format > Hide & Unhide > Unhide Sheet. If Unhide is greyed out, no sheets are hidden in the normal way. See the next two sections.
Unhide is greyed out but a sheet is still missing
Two things cause this:
- The workbook structure is protected. Go to Review > Protect Workbook. If it is highlighted, click it and enter the password to turn protection off, then unhide the sheet.
- The sheet is “very hidden”. This is set through VBA and doesn’t appear in the Unhide list. Press Alt + F11, select the sheet in the Project panel, then in the Properties panel set Visible to -1 – xlSheetVisible. Close the editor. Only do this in workbooks you own or have permission to change.
Fix 4: Bring the window back on screen
If the workbook window is smaller than the Excel window or has slid down past the bottom of the screen, the tabs are there but you can’t see them. Try these:
- Double-click the workbook’s title bar to maximize it.
- Go to View > Arrange All, choose Tiled and click OK.
- Click the Restore button at the top-right of the Excel window, then maximize it again.
- If you use more than one monitor, or changed your display scaling recently, drag Excel to the main screen and maximize it there.
Too many tabs to see at once
When a workbook has dozens of sheets, most tabs are off to the side. Right-click the small arrows to the left of the tabs to open a list of every sheet, then double-click one to jump to it. You can also press Ctrl + Page Down and Ctrl + Page Up to move between sheets. Lowering the zoom doesn’t make the tabs smaller, but dragging the scroll-bar splitter right gives them more room.
Excel for Mac
Go to Excel > Settings > View and check Sheet tabs under “In Workbook”. To unhide a sheet, use Format > Sheet > Unhide in the menu bar, or right-click a tab and choose Unhide.
Excel for the web
Excel for the web always shows tabs. If a sheet is missing, right-click any tab and choose Unhide. If the option isn’t there, the file may be open in view-only mode. Click Editing or ask the owner for edit access.
Frequently asked questions
Why did my tabs disappear on their own?
Usually the file was saved by someone with tabs turned off, or a template or macro hid them. The scroll bar can also get dragged over the tabs by accident.
Is hiding a sheet a good way to protect data?
No. Anyone can unhide it. Use Review > Protect Workbook to stop people unhiding sheets, and keep truly sensitive data in a separate file.
How do I hide a sheet?
Right-click its tab and choose Hide. A workbook must keep at least one visible sheet.
Related guides
- How to unhide all rows in Excel
- How to reference a tab name in Excel
- How to copy a sheet to another workbook
- How to change the zoom level in Excel
Summary
- Check File > Options > Advanced > Show sheet tabs.
- Drag the scroll-bar splitter to the right.
- Right-click a tab and choose Unhide for a missing sheet.
- Maximize the window or use View > Arrange All.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.