Often in VBA we need to ask the users to select files or directories before we execute the actual functionality of our macro. Welcome to the VBA Open file dialog post. Today we will learn how to use the Application.FileDialog, to understand the various msoFileDialogFilePicker file dialog picking options and how to properly manage these dialogs.

Here is a simple example of a VBA File Dialog:

Dim fDialog As FileDialog
Set fDialog = Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogFilePicker)

'Show the dialog. -1 means success!
If fDialog.Show = -1 Then
   Debug.Print fDialog.SelectedItems(1) 'The full path to the file selected by the user
End If

Application FileDialog function

Before we start let’s understand the Application.FileDialog function.

The Application.FileDialog has the following syntax:

Application.FileDialog( fileDialogType as MsoFileDialogType )

Parameter

MsoFileDialogType
An enumeration defining the type of file dialog to open. It has the following values:

Properties and functions

FileDialog properties

Select files – msoFileDialogFilePicker

The msoFileDialogFilePicker dialog type allows you to select one or more files.

Select single files

The most common select file scenario is asking the user to select a single file. The code below does just that:

Dim fDialog As FileDialog, result As Integer
Set fDialog = Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogFilePicker)
    
'Optional: FileDialog properties
fDialog.AllowMultiSelect = False
fDialog.title = "Select a file"
fDialog.InitialFileName = "C:\"
'Optional: Add filters
fDialog.Filters.Clear
fDialog.Filters.Add "Excel files", "*.xlsx"
fDialog.Filters.Add "All files", "*.*"

'Show the dialog. -1 means success!
If fDialog.Show = -1 Then
   Debug.Print fDialog.SelectedItems(1)
End If

'Result: C:\somefile.xlsx

Select multiple files

Quite common is a scenario when you are asking the user to select one or more files. The code below does just that. Notice that you need to set AllowMultiSelect to True.

Dim fDialog As FileDialog, result As Integer
Set fDialog = Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogFilePicker)
    
'IMPORTANT!
fDialog.AllowMultiSelect = True

'Optional FileDialog properties
fDialog.title = "Select a file"
fDialog.InitialFileName = "C:\"
'Optional: Add filters
fDialog.Filters.Clear
fDialog.Filters.Add "Excel files", "*.xlsx"
fDialog.Filters.Add "All files", "*.*"

'Show the dialog. -1 means success!
If fDialog.Show = -1 Then
  For Each it In fDialog.SelectedItems
    Debug.Print it
  Next it
End If

'Results:
'C:\somefile.xlsx
'C:\somefile1.xlsx
'C:\somefile2.xlsx

Select folder – msoFileDialogFilePicker

Selecting a folder is more simple than selecting files. However only a single folder can be select within a single dialog window.

Select folder example

The dialog below will ask the user to select a folder:

Set fDialog = Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogFolderPicker) 'Important we use msoFileDialogFolderPicker instead of (...)FilePicker

'Optional: Properties
fDialog.title = "Select a folder"
fDialog.InitialFileName = "C:\"

If fDialog.Show = -1 Then
  Debug.Print fDialog.SelectedItems(1)
End If

Open file – msoFileDialogOpen

Opening files is much more simple as it usually involves a single file. The only difference between the behavior between Selecting and Opening files are button labels.

Open file example

The dialog below will ask the user to select a file to open:

Dim fDialog As FileDialog, result As Integer, it As Variant
Set fDialog = Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogOpen)
    
'Optional: FileDialog properties
fDialog.title = "Select a file"
fDialog.InitialFileName = "C:\"
    
'Optional: Add filters
fDialog.Filters.Clear
fDialog.Filters.Add "All files", "*.*"
fDialog.Filters.Add "Excel files", "*.xlsx"
  
If fDialog.Show = -1 Then
  Debug.Print fDialog.SelectedItems(1)
End If

Save file – msoFileDialogSaveAs

Saving a file is similarly easy, and also only the buttons are differently named.

Save file example

The dialog below will ask the user to select a path to which a files is to be saved:

Dim fDialog As FileDialog, result As Integer, it As Variant
Set fDialog = Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogSaveAs)

'Optional: FileDialog properties
fDialog.title = "Save a file"
fDialog.InitialFileName = "C:\"

If fDialog.Show = -1 Then
  Debug.Print fDialog.SelectedItems(1)
End If

FileDialog Filters

One of the common problems with working with the Application.FileDialog is setting multiple file filters. Below some common examples of how to do this properly. To add a filter for multiple files use the semicolor ;:

Dim fDialog As FileDialog
Set fDialog = Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogOpen)
'...
'Optional: Add filters
fDialog.Filters.Clear
fDialog.Filters.Add "All files", "*.*"
fDialog.Filters.Add "Excel files", "*.xlsx;*.xls;*.xlsm"
fDialog.Filters.Add "Text/CSV files", "*.txt;*.csv"
'...

Be sure to clear your list of filters each time. The FileDialog has its nuisances and often filters are not cleared automatically. Hence, when creating multiple dialogs you might see filters coming from previous executed dialogs if not cleared and re-initiated properly.