Knowing how to refresh links in Excel helps you update information connected to other workbooks, external files and online sources. If your Excel spreadsheet is displaying outdated figures or failing to reflect changes made in another file, refreshing the links can help retrieve the latest information. Microsoft Excel provides several options for updating external links, depending on how your workbook is connected.
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Refresh Links Using the Data Tab
You can use the Data tab to update external connections in your Excel workbook.
Follow these instructions:
- Open your Excel workbook.
- Click the Data tab on the ribbon.
- Look for the Queries and Connections section.
- Select Refresh All.
- Wait for Excel to retrieve the latest information.
The Refresh All option updates supported external data connections and queries in the workbook.
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Update Links to Another Excel Workbook
If your spreadsheet contains formulas linked to another Excel file, you can update those links manually.
Here is how:
- Open the Excel workbook containing the external links.
- Click the Data tab.
- Select Workbook Links or Edit Links, depending on your Excel version.
- Select the external workbook you want to update.
- Click Update Values or Refresh.
- Save your workbook.
Excel will attempt to retrieve the latest information from the linked workbook.
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Refresh a Specific Data Connection
Sometimes you may only want to refresh one connection instead of updating everything.
To do this:
- Open your Excel workbook.
- Go to the Data tab.
- Select Queries and Connections.
- Find the connection you want to update.
- Right-click the connection.
- Select Refresh.
This updates the selected connection without refreshing every other connection in the workbook.
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Automatically Refresh Links When Opening a Workbook
You can configure certain external connections to update automatically whenever you open your spreadsheet.
Follow these steps:
- Open your Excel workbook.
- Go to the Data tab.
- Open Queries and Connections.
- Right-click the relevant connection.
- Select Properties.
- Look for the Refresh data when opening the file option.
- Enable it if available.
- Click OK.
The setting may vary depending on the type of connection.
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Check Your External Link Settings
If Excel is not refreshing links automatically, check whether external workbook updates are enabled.
- Open Excel.
- Click File.
- Select Options.
- Choose Trust Center.
- Click Trust Center Settings.
- Open External Content.
- Review the available settings for workbook links and data connections.
Only allow external content from sources you trust.
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Fix Broken Excel Links
If your links are not updating, the source workbook may have been moved, renamed or deleted.
Try the following:
- Confirm that the source Excel file still exists.
- Check whether the file location has changed.
- Make sure you have permission to access the source file.
- Reopen both workbooks.
- Update the source location through Workbook Links if necessary.
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