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Fix Excel VBA CommandBars ShowPopup Not Working on Mac
Question details
The user is unable to display the workbook tabs list using the VBA Application.CommandBars("Workbook tabs").ShowPopup method in Excel for Mac.
- Product
- Microsoft Excel for Mac
- Device & OS
- macOS
- Scenario
- Executing a VBA macro that relies on the CommandBars collection to trigger a popup menu for worksheet navigation.
- Observed behavior
- The VBA script fails to display the worksheet list popup because legacy CommandBars support is restricted in modern versions of Excel for Mac.
Verify that your macOS trackpad or mouse is configured to allow secondary clicks (right-clicks) in System Preferences, as you will need this for the manual workaround.
Use Manual Right-Click or Two-Finger Click Workaround
Since legacy CommandBars VBA support is restricted on Mac, use built-in UI shortcuts to display the workbook tabs list.
Microsoft has deprecated or severely limited the legacy CommandBars collection for developers in modern Excel for Mac versions (such as 16.63.1+). This means VBA code that relies on ShowPopup will no longer function as intended.
Instead of relying on VBA, you can easily access the exact same workbook tabs list using a native macOS trackpad or mouse shortcut.
Open your macOS System Settings or System Preferences, navigate to Trackpad, and ensure that 'Secondary click' (such as clicking with two fingers) is enabled.
Open your Excel workbook and look at the bottom-left corner of the window where the left and right sheet navigation arrows are located.
Perform a two-finger click on the trackpad (or standard right-click with a mouse) directly on those navigation arrows. The 'Workbook tabs' popup list will instantly appear, allowing you to jump to any sheet.
Explore Ribbon XML Customization
Migrate from legacy VBA CommandBars to Ribbon XML for building custom menus in Excel for Mac.
Try WPS Office for Seamless Spreadsheet Management on Mac
Tired of VBA compatibility issues and missing legacy features in Excel for Mac? WPS Office provides a free, lightweight, and highly compatible alternative for macOS, delivering robust spreadsheet capabilities without the hassle.
- 1. Download the WPS Office installer: Visit the official WPS website and download the free macOS version of WPS Office.
- 2. Install and launch: Run the installer package, drag WPS Office to your Applications folder, and launch the suite.
- 3. Open your Excel file: Simply drag and drop your existing .xlsx or .xlsm files into WPS Spreadsheet to continue your work without formatting loss.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Application.CommandBars not work in Excel for Mac?
Microsoft has severely limited support for the legacy CommandBars collection in modern Mac versions of Excel (such as version 16.63.1 and newer). Developers are now required to use Ribbon XML customizations instead of older VBA methods to generate UI elements.
Is there a shortcut to see all worksheet tabs in Excel for Mac without using macros?
Yes. You can bypass macros entirely by right-clicking or using a two-finger click on your trackpad directly over the sheet navigation arrows in the bottom-left corner of your Excel window. This immediately brings up the full list of worksheets.
How can I enable two-finger clicking on my Mac?
You can enable this by opening your Mac's System Settings (or System Preferences), clicking on Trackpad, and under the Point & Click tab, checking the box for 'Secondary click'. Make sure it is set to 'Click or tap with two fingers'.
