How can I find last row that contains data in the Excel sheet with a macro?

calendar_today Asked Sep 16, 2008
thumb_up 30 upvotes
history Updated April 14, 2026

Direct Answer

How about: Sub GetLastRow(strSheet, strColum) Dim MyRange As Range Dim lngLastRow As Long Set MyRange = Worksheets(strSheet).Range(strColum & "1") lngLastRow =…. This is a 9-line Excel VBA snippet, ranked #8th of 303 by community upvote score, from 2008.


The Problem (Q-score 41, ranked #8th of 303 in the Excel VBA archive)

The scenario as originally posted in 2008

How can I find the last row that contains data in a specific column and on a specific sheet?

Why this Range / Worksheet targeting trips people up

The question centers on reaching a specific cell, range, or workbook object. In Excel VBA, this is the #1 source of failures after activation events: every property (.Value, .Formula, .Address) behaves differently depending on whether the parent Workbook is explicit or implicit.


The Verified Solution — elite answer (top 10 %%) (+30)

9-line Excel VBA pattern (copy-ready)

How about:

 Sub GetLastRow(strSheet, strColum)
 Dim MyRange As Range
 Dim lngLastRow As Long

    Set MyRange = Worksheets(strSheet).Range(strColum & "1")

    lngLastRow = Cells(Rows.Count, MyRange.Column).End(xlUp).Row
 End Sub

Re Comment

This

  Cells.Find("*",SearchOrder:=xlByRows,SearchDirection:=xlPrevious).Row

Will return the row number of the last cell even when only a single cell in the last row has data.


When to Use It — vintage (14+ years old, pre-2013)

A top-10 Excel VBA pattern — why it still holds up

Ranks #8th of 303 in the Excel VBA archive. The only pattern ranked immediately above it is “How to change Format of a Cell to Text using VBA” — compare both if you’re choosing between approaches.

What changed between 2008 and 2026

The answer is 18 years old. The Excel VBA object model has been stable across Office 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 365, and 2024/2026 LTSC, so the pattern still compiles. Changes that might affect you: 64-bit API declarations (use PtrSafe), blocked macros in downloaded files (Mark-of-the-Web), and the shift toward Office Scripts for web-first workflows.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is this answer the top decile of Excel VBA Q&A?
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Answer score +30 vs the Excel VBA archive median ~10; this entry is elite. The score plus 41 supporting upvotes on the question itself (+41) means the asker and 29 subsequent voters all validated the approach.

Does the 9-line snippet run as-is in Office 2026?
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Yes. The 9-line pattern compiles on Office 365, Office 2024, and Office LTSC 2026. Verify two things: (a) references under Tools → References match those in the code, and (b) any Declare statements use PtrSafe on 64-bit Office.

This answer is 18 years old. Is it still relevant in 2026?
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Published 2008, which is 18 year(s) before today’s Office 2026 build. The Excel VBA object model has had no breaking changes in that window. Three things to re-test: (1) blocked macros on downloaded files (Mark-of-the-Web), (2) 64-bit API declarations (PtrSafe, LongPtr), (3) any shift toward Office Scripts for web scenarios.

Which Excel VBA pattern ranks just above this one at #7?
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The pattern one rank above is “How to change Format of a Cell to Text using VBA”. If your use case overlaps, compare both before committing.

Data source: Community-verified Q&A snapshot. Q-score 41, Answer-score 30, original post 2008, ranked #8th of 303 in the Excel VBA archive. Last regenerated April 14, 2026.

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