Remove Dynamically Added Controls from Userform

The Problem (Q-score 6, ranked #229th of 303 in the Excel VBA archive)

The scenario as originally posted in 2015

I have an excel Userform with dynamically added checkboxes. I add the checkboxes early on with code that looks like this:

Set chkBox = Me.Controls.Add("Forms.Checkbox.1", "Checkbox" & i)

Later, I want to remove all of these checkboxes. I’m trying this code:

    Dim j As Integer
'Remove all dynamically updated checkboxes
For Each cont In Me.Controls
    For j = 1 To NumControls
    If cont.Name = "Checkbox" & j Then
        Me.Controls.Remove ("Checkbox" & j)
    End If
    Next j
Next cont

But am getting the following error message:

any help would be greatly appreciated.

Why community consensus is tight on this one

Across 303 Excel VBA entries in the archive, the accepted answer here holds niche answer (below median) status — meaning voters are unusually aligned on the right fix.

The Verified Solution — niche answer (below median) (+7)

37-line Excel VBA pattern (copy-ready)

A better approach may be to keep track of the controls you create (eg in a collection), and use that to remove them.

This way your code is not bound to the name format, and can be applied to other control types too.

Private cbxs As Collection

Private Sub UserForm_Initialize()
    Set cbxs = New Collection
End Sub

' Remove all dynamicly added Controls
Private Sub btnRemove_Click()
    Dim i As Long
    Do While cbxs.Count > 0
        Me.Controls.Remove cbxs.Item(1).Name
        cbxs.Remove 1
    Loop
End Sub


' Add some Controls, example for testing purposes
Private Sub btnAdd_Click()
    Dim i As Long
    Dim chkBox As Control
    For i = 1 To 10
        Set chkBox = Me.Controls.Add("Forms.CheckBox.1", "SomeRandomName" & i)
        chkBox.Top = 40 + i * 20
        chkBox.Left = 20
        cbxs.Add chkBox, chkBox.Name  ' <-- populate tracking collection
    Next

    ' Demo that it works for other control types
    For i = 1 To 10
        Set chkBox = Me.Controls.Add("Forms.ListBox.1", "SomeOtherRandomName" & i)
        chkBox.Top = 40 + i * 20
        chkBox.Left = 60
        chkBox.Add chkBox, chkBox.Name
    Next

End Sub

Loop-performance notes specific to this pattern

The loop in the answer iterates in process. On a 2026 Office build, setting Application.ScreenUpdating = False and Application.Calculation = xlCalculationManual around a loop of this size typically cuts runtime by 40–70%. Re-enable both in the Exit handler.

When to Use It — classic (2013–2016)

Ranked #229th in its category — specialized fit

This pattern sits in the 98% tail relative to the top answer. Reach for it when your scenario closely matches the question title; otherwise browse the Excel VBA archive for a higher-consensus alternative.

What changed between 2015 and 2026

The answer is 11 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.