Office Settings & Configuration

How to Customize Excel's Default Book1 Workbook

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 871 views

Question details

The user wants to change the default formatting, view, or worksheet settings of the blank Book1 workbook that opens automatically in Excel without manually creating a standard custom template every time.

Product: Microsoft Excel
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Opening a new blank workbook (Book1) in Excel and wanting specific default formatting applied automatically.
Observed behavior: Excel opens a standard blank workbook by default, lacking the user's preferred custom formatting, view, or worksheet settings.

Before you start

Ensure you have administrator or adequate user privileges to access and modify the AppData directory on your Windows computer, as saving files to the system's XLSTART folder requires these permissions.

Solution 1

Modify Default Options in Excel Settings

Use Excel's built-in options to change fundamental defaults like font, font size, and the number of worksheets for all new workbooks.

This method is ideal if you only need to change basic settings like the default font style, text size, or the number of sheets that appear when you launch Excel.

Open Excel Options

Launch Microsoft Excel. Click on 'File' in the top-left corner of the screen, then select 'Options' at the very bottom of the left-hand menu.

Locate New Workbook Settings

In the Excel Options window, stay on the 'General' tab. Scroll down to find the section titled 'When creating new workbooks'.

Adjust Default Preferences

Change the 'Use this as the default font', 'Font size', 'Default view for new sheets', and 'Include this many sheets' dropdowns to your preferred settings.

Save and Restart

Click 'OK' to save your changes. Restart Excel for these new default settings to take effect on all future blank workbooks.

Solution 2Recommended

Create a Custom Book.xltx Template in the XLSTART Folder

Save a custom-formatted blank workbook as a template in the XLSTART directory to fully customize the default Book1 layout, cell styles, and print settings.

Customize Templates with WPS Office

Easily Manage Default Worksheet Settings in WPS Spreadsheet

WPS Office provides an intuitive and free alternative to manage your spreadsheet templates. You can easily set up and save customized default templates in WPS Spreadsheet, ensuring every new document perfectly matches your required styles and formatting without digging into system folders.

1. Create Your Custom Layout: Open WPS Spreadsheet and set up a blank workbook with your preferred cell formatting, fonts, widths, and page layouts.
2. Save as a Template: Click 'Menu' in the top-left corner, go to 'Save As', and select 'WPS Spreadsheet Template (*.ett)' or 'Excel Template (*.xltx)'.
3. Set as Default: Save the file to your templates library. You can easily select this tailored template from the WPS Office Home screen whenever you click 'New' to create a spreadsheet.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx and .xltx formats)Free and lightweight office suite with a familiar interfaceUser-friendly built-in template manager for custom layoutsSeamlessly migrate and use your existing Excel templates

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my Book.xltx template not loading when I open Excel?

If the template doesn't load automatically, ensure the file is named exactly 'Book.xltx' and is placed in the correct XLSTART folder. Additionally, check that Excel's Start screen is disabled by going to File > Options > General, and unchecking 'Show the Start screen when this application starts', as the Start screen can sometimes bypass the default Book.xltx.

Can I customize the default formatting for new worksheets added to an existing workbook?

Yes. To customize the default formatting of new worksheets inserted into an existing workbook (by pressing Shift+F11 or the plus icon), create a blank template with your desired single-sheet formatting, name it exactly 'Sheet.xltx', and save it in the same XLSTART folder.

Where can I find the XLSTART folder if the %appdata% shortcut doesn't work?

If the Run dialog shortcut fails, you can manually navigate to C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel\XLSTART. You will likely need to open File Explorer, click the 'View' tab, and check the box for 'Hidden items' to make the AppData folder visible.

Does saving a Book.xltx template override my existing spreadsheets?

No. Creating and saving a Book.xltx template in the XLSTART folder only dictates the initial formatting, styles, and settings of newly created blank workbooks. All of your previously saved spreadsheets will remain completely unaffected.

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