To change a sheet tab colour in Excel 2013, right-click the worksheet tab at the bottom of the window, point to Tab Color and pick a colour. You can also use Home > Format > Tab Color. Colours help you spot sheets quickly in large workbooks. The steps are the same in newer versions of Excel. Office 2013 reached end of support on April 11, 2023, so upgrading is worth considering for security updates.
Quick Answer
Right-click the sheet tab > Tab Color > choose a colour. Choose No Color to remove it.
Steps to Change a Sheet Tab Colour
- Open the workbook and find the worksheet tabs at the bottom left.
- Right-click the tab you want to colour.
- Point to Tab Color.
- Click a theme or standard colour, or choose More Colors for a custom shade.
- Click another tab to see the full colour; the active tab shows only a coloured underline.
Other Ways and Tips
| Task | How |
|---|---|
| Ribbon method | Home > Format (Cells group) > Tab Color |
| Colour several tabs at once | Ctrl-click or Shift-click tabs, then set Tab Color |
| Remove a colour | Tab Color > No Color |
| Custom colour | Tab Color > More Colors |
Troubleshooting
- Tab Color is greyed out: The workbook structure may be protected. Go to Review > Protect Workbook to unlock it if you know the password you set.
- Grouped sheets: After colouring several tabs, right-click and choose Ungroup Sheets so edits don’t apply to all of them.
- Colouring cells instead: See filling a cell colour in Excel 2013.
- Tidying a sheet: See hiding rows and columns in Excel 2013, or printing on legal paper.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do tab colours print?
No. Tab colours only show in the Excel window.
Can I colour a tab with a formula or rule?
Not with built-in tools. Conditional formatting applies to cells, not tabs; a macro would be needed.
Why does the active tab look white?
Excel shows the selected tab with a coloured bar only. Select another sheet to see the full colour.
Summary
- Right-click the sheet tab.
- Choose Tab Color.
- Pick a colour, or No Color to remove it.
- Group tabs to colour several at once.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
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