How to Dock VBA Project Explorer and Properties Windows in Excel for Mac
Question details
The user needs to dock the VBA Project Explorer and Properties windows in Excel for Mac because they are currently floating or expanding across the entire editor width.
- Product
- Excel for Mac
- Device & OS
- Mac
- Scenario
- Working in the Visual Basic Editor (VBE) where tool windows become detached from the main interface or improperly size themselves to take up the full screen.
- Observed behavior
- The VBA Project Explorer and Properties windows detach to become floating windows or improperly occupy the full width of the VBA editor window when docking preferences are misconfigured.
Ensure you have the Developer tab enabled in your Excel for Mac ribbon and that the Visual Basic Editor is currently accessible before attempting to modify docking preferences.
Enable Window Docking in Excel Preferences
Use this solution if your VBA Project Explorer and Properties windows are completely detached and floating over your editor.
In Excel for Mac, the docking behavior for VBA editor windows is controlled directly through the main application preferences rather than inside the Visual Basic Editor itself.
With Excel open on your Mac, click on 'Excel' in the top Apple menu bar and select 'Preferences' from the dropdown menu.
In the Preferences dialog, navigate to the 'Options' menu and look for the 'Docking' section.
Check the boxes next to 'Project Explorer' and 'Properties Window' to allow these specific windows to dock within the main editor interface.
Close the Preferences window and completely restart Microsoft Excel to ensure the changes take effect in the VBA editor.
Fix Windows Occupying the Full Width of the Editor
Use this solution if your docked VBA windows are taking up the entire width of the screen, leaving no room for the code editor.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my VBA windows floating by default in Excel for Mac?
This usually happens when the specific docking preferences for the Project Explorer and Properties windows are disabled in the main Excel preferences menu. You must manually enable them in Excel > Preferences to restore docking functionality.
How do I open the Visual Basic Editor in Excel for Mac?
First, ensure the Developer tab is enabled in your ribbon (Excel > Preferences > Ribbon & Toolbar). Then, click on the Developer tab and select 'Visual Basic', or simply press Option + F11 on your keyboard.
What should I do if the docked VBA windows take up the entire screen?
You need to undock them first. Go into Excel Preferences and disable docking for those windows so they float. Manually resize the floating windows to be narrower, then go back to Preferences and re-enable docking. Restart Excel to see the corrected layout.
Can I reset the VBA editor layout to default settings?
Excel for Mac does not feature a dedicated 'reset layout' button for the VBA editor. Toggling the docking options off and on in the Preferences menu and restarting the application is the standard method to reset window positioning.
