Environ Function code samples for VBA

calendar_today Asked Jun 1, 2009
thumb_up 30 upvotes
history Updated April 14, 2026

Direct Answer

Environ() gets you the value of any environment variable. These can be found by doing the following command in the Command Prompt: set If you wanted to get the username, you would…. This is a prose walkthrough, ranked #13th of 95 by community upvote score, from 2009.


The Problem (Q-score 15, ranked #13th of 95 in the VBA Core archive)

The scenario as originally posted in 2009

I am looking for some information or code samples for the Environ Function in VBA to grab the username on the current system.

Why community consensus is tight on this one

Across 95 VBA Core entries in the archive, the accepted answer here holds strong answer (top 25 %%) status — meaning voters are unusually aligned on the right fix.


The Verified Solution — strong answer (top 25 %%) (+30)

Verbal answer — walkthrough without a code block

Note: the verified answer is a prose walkthrough. If you need a runnable sample, check VBA Core entries ranked in the top 10 of the same archive.

Environ() gets you the value of any environment variable. These can be found by doing the following command in the Command Prompt:

set

If you wanted to get the username, you would do: 

Environ("username")

If you wanted to get the fully qualified name, you would do:

Environ("userdomain") & "" & Environ("username")


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

Ranked #13th in its category — specialized fit

This pattern sits in the 75% tail relative to the top answer. Reach for it when your scenario closely matches the question title; otherwise browse the VBA Core archive for a higher-consensus alternative.

What changed between 2009 and 2026

The answer is 17 years old. The VBA Core 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 does this sit in the top quartile of VBA Core answers?
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Answer score +30 vs the VBA Core archive median ~10; this entry is strong. The score plus 15 supporting upvotes on the question itself (+15) means the asker and 29 subsequent voters all validated the approach.

The answer has no code block — how do I turn it into a snippet?
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Use the walkthrough above as a checklist, then open a top-10 VBA Core archive entry for a concrete starting template you can adapt.

This answer is 17 years old. Is it still relevant in 2026?
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Published 2009, which is 17 year(s) before today’s Office 2026 build. The VBA Core 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 VBA Core pattern ranks just above this one at #12?
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The pattern one rank above is “Best way to test a MS Access application?”. If your use case overlaps, compare both before committing.

Data source: Community-verified Q&A snapshot. Q-score 15, Answer-score 30, original post 2009, ranked #13th of 95 in the VBA Core archive. Last regenerated April 14, 2026.

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