How to Insert Object in Excel (Ultimate Guide)

Here’s a basic overview of where you can find the Insert Object command.

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What Are Objects in Excel?

Objects refer to the various elements and components you can work with. The main objects in Excel are workbooks, worksheets, ranges, cells, and charts. These objects enable users to manipulate and analyze data effectively. Additionally, we can embed images, videos, and other files as objects into worksheets.

How to Insert an Object in a Sheet in Excel

Method 1 – Insert an Object from the Object Window in Excel

Case 1.1 – Create a New Object

• Navigate to Insert, expand the Text group, and click on Object.

The Object window will open.

• Go to Create New, choose the Object type, check Display as icon, and hit OK.

Here’s the output.

• Insert another object for cell E6 to see the output.

Case 1.2 – Embedding an Existing Object

• Go to Insert, expand the Text group, and click on Object.

• Choose Create from File and click on Browse.

The Browse window will appear.

• Choose the intended file as Object and click on Insert.

• Check Display as icon and hit OK.

Here’s the output.

• Insert a Word Document for cell E6.

Method 2 – Use the Shortcut Key to Insert an Object

• Choose the intended sheet.
• Press Alt + N + ZT + J to open the Object window.

• Click Create New, check Display as icon, and hit OK.

• Adjust the embedded object within cell E5 to see the output.

Method 3 – Run Excel VBA Code to Insert an Object

• Navigate to the Developer tab and click on Visual Basic.

• Click Insert, choose Module, and insert the following code and Run.

Sub InsertAnObject()

    Dim ws As Worksheet
    Dim fileDialog As fileDialog
    Dim filePath As String
   
    Set ws = ThisWorkbook.Sheets("Excel VBA to Insert Object")
   
    Set fileDialog = Application.fileDialog(msoFileDialogFilePicker)
   
    fileDialog.Title = "Select Word Document"
    fileDialog.Filters.Clear
    fileDialog.Filters.Add "Word Documents", "*.docx; *.doc"
   
    If fileDialog.Show = -1 Then
        filePath = fileDialog.SelectedItems(1)
       
        ws.OLEObjects.Add(Filename:=filePath, Link:=False, DisplayAsIcon:=True, _
            IconFileName:="C:\WINDOWS\Installer\{90160000-000F-0000-1000-0000000FF1CE}\wordicon.exe", _
            IconIndex:=0, IconLabel:=GetFileNameFromPath(filePath)).Select
    End If

End Sub

Function GetFileNameFromPath(fullPath As String) As String

    Dim pathParts() As String

    pathParts = Split(fullPath, "\")
    GetFileNameFromPath = pathParts(UBound(pathParts))

End Function

The Select Word Document window will open.

• Choose the intended file and hit OK.

• Adjust the embedded object within cell E5 to see the output.

How to Insert Various Types of Objects in Excel

Example 1 – Insert an Image

• Navigate to Insert, expand Text, and click Object.

• Choose Create from File and click on Browse.

The Browse window will pop up.

• Select the intended Image file as Object and click on Insert.

• Check Display as icon and hit OK from the Object window.

Here’s the result.

Example 2 – Insert a PowerPoint File

• Follow the above procedure, choose a PowerPoint file, and click Insert.

Here’s the result.

Example 3 – Insert an Excel File

• Use the same options as before and select an Excel file from the browser.

Here’s the result.

Example 4 – Insert a PDF File

• Choose a PDF file as Object and click on Insert.

The output will look like the following.

Example 5 – Insert Video

• Choose Insert Object.
• Open the Browse window.
• Choose a Video file as Object, then click on Insert.

Adjust the inserted object within cell E9 to see the output.

How to Manage Objects with the Selection Pane in Excel

Example 1 – Group Objects

• Hold the Ctrl key and click on each Object to select multiple objects.

• Right-click on the selected objects.
• Choose Group from the context menu and click on Group.

Example 2 – Change the Order of Objects

• Navigate to Home, choose Find & Select, and click on Selection Pane.

• Select the intended object and use the Up and Down arrows to change the order.

Example 3 – Hide Objects

• Open the Selection Pane, click on an Object, and click the Eye icon to hide.

Here’s an example.

How to Insert a Link to a File in Excel

• Go to Insert Object.
• In the Object window, check Link to file, and hit OK.

If you make any changes to the source file, that will reflect in the inserted file.

Link to Object vs. Embed to Object

Linking to objects creates a connection to external files. It allows updates to be reflected in the Excel file. In contrast, embedding things makes the content part of the Excel file. We can use linking when you want real-time updates and smaller file sizes. On the other hand, embedding offers us portability and offline access.

Things to Remember

• You can apply the Link to file option to prevent increasing Excel file size.
• Change the original file before embedding, as it loses all connections to the source file.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I insert symbols in Excel?

To insert symbols in Excel, go to Insert followed by Symbol. Later, choose the desired symbols and click the Insert button to place them in a cell.

Can we insert an image in Excel?

Yes, we can insert an image in Excel. To do this, navigate to Insert and click on Picture. A window will pop up to browse and select the image file. Next, choose the image and click Insert.

What is the shortcut for inserting an object?

The shortcut for inserting an object in Excel is Alt + N followed by J. We must hold down the Alt key, press N, and press J to insert an object quickly.

Insert Object in Excel: Knowledge Hub

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