How Can Mac Users Overcome These Limitations?įor the most part, Excel performs quite well on Windows and Mac devices. On the other hand, those using Excel on Windows are able to connect to Access, tables and ranges, the web, BDF, XML, PDF, SQL, as well as many others. Mac users are generally limited to SQL, HTML, ODBC, and Microsoft Query. When using Excel on a Mac, users have fewer options for connecting to external data than they do when using Excel on Windows. However, for Mac users, these features aren’t offered. Those wishing to do so can also replace that cell when it’s been located. Windows offers users a “Find and Replace” dialogue box that provides them with a way to locate a cell based on its format. Additionally, Excel for Mac doesn’t offer the autosave feature that allows users to save workbooks as drafts so they are able to retrieve older file versions in the event that changes weren’t saved. When using Excel on Windows, it’s possible to establish a default location to which workbooks will be auto-saved. This recovery depends on the Time Machine being enabled at all times so that no important data is ever lost. In order to recover overwritten files on Macs, the user has to go to Finder, run the Time Machine, then choose and recover the original file this way. However, for Mac users, this process is a bit more complicated. Those who use Excel on Windows are able to restore these files simply by right-clicking on the Excel file, selecting “Properties,” and “Previous Versions,” and then choosing the latest version to restore. Restoring Excel Files that Were OverwrittenĪlthough it’s not a common occurrence to have to restore Excel files that have already been overwritten, when it is required it can create challenges and be a time-consuming process for Mac users. Additionally, when a new version of Excel is installed on a Mac, all of the customizations that had been applied to this toolbar will be deleted. Quick Access ToolbarĮxcel’s Quick Access Toolbar can’t be imported or exported onto Macs, whereas it can be when using Windows. Also, Visual Basic Editor works much better on Windows than it does on Macs, which can complicate the process of editing macros. This can make it difficult for Mac users to find answers to VBA questions. Mac users also aren’t able to import or export collections of VBA code.įor Excel users who need assistance with VBA, most search results pertain to VBA in Windows rather than for Macs. In addition, the “Properties” window is missing for Mac users. For example, developing User Forms on Excel for Mac takes much longer than it does on Windows. ![]() Even now it has many more limitations than VBA on Windows. Prior to the 2016 release of Excel for Mac, there were no VBA options for Excel users on Macs. Each time a macro is recorded in Excel it is stored in VBA code, where it can be edited using the VBA Editor tool. VBA provides Excel users with a way to write commands and functions that can automate repeated tasks. VBA, or Visual Basic for applications, is the language Excel and other Microsoft 365 applications use for programming. In addition, some Excel shortcuts that work on a PC won’t function on a Mac. For example, Mac users wanting to use the shortcuts for “page up” or “page down” must select the “Fn + up/down” arrow to perform these actions. Keyboard Shortcutsīecause the keyboard on a Mac is different than the one on a PC, it follows that the available Excel shortcuts would also differ on these systems. In addition, Pivot Charts are also not interactive on Macs and instead remain static. However, when working on Excel for Mac, any PivotTable that includes source data based on Excel’s Data Model cannot be filtered when it is opened on a Mac. One of the most popular features of Excel is its built-in PivotTable feature, with which users can make customized tables that reflect the data they want to visualize as well as how they wish to display it. There are a few important differences in how Excel operates for users to be aware of when considering which operating system is best for their Excel needs. However, when users begin to explore more advanced Excel functions, the differences between Excel for Windows and Excel for Mac become more noticeable. Most of this app’s functionality and actions perform well on both systems. ![]() Workbooks created in the Windows version of Excel generally work well when they’re opened on a Mac, as do workbooks created on Macs that are opened on Windows devices. Macsįor the most part, Microsoft Excel can be used on both Windows devices as well as Macs. The Main Differences Between Using Excel on PCs vs. This article will explore some of the key differences between using Excel on a Windows device versus using it on a Mac. Although Microsoft Excel was originally created for use on Windows operating systems, it also works on Macs.
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