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VBA · Performance
Application.ScreenUpdating
Stops the screen redrawing while code runs, a large speedup for anything that touches many cells.
When to use it
Application.ScreenUpdating = False stops Excel redrawing while the macro runs. Anything that touches many cells, sheets, or formats runs several times faster with it off.
The code
- Code
Application.ScreenUpdating = False ... Application.ScreenUpdating = True
Worked examples
Speed up a macro
Application.ScreenUpdating = False ... work ... Application.ScreenUpdating = True → The screen freezes during the work, then refreshes once
The standard bracket.
Restore on error
On Error GoTo Done Application.ScreenUpdating = False ... Done: Application.ScreenUpdating = True → Restored even on error
Always restore.
The trio
Application.ScreenUpdating = False Application.Calculation = xlCalculationManual Application.EnableEvents = False → The full speed trio
Restore all three at the end.
Worth knowing
- Excel restores it automatically when the macro ends, but restore it explicitly anyway.
- Combine with manual calculation for the biggest gains.
- Do not turn it off while stepping through code, or you cannot see what is happening.
Where it goes wrong
- Left False after an error, the screen looks frozen until something triggers a redraw.
- MsgBox and UserForms still render.
Related
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