How to Quickly Close a Userform in VBA in 3 Minutes (Excel)

Written by Kasper Langmann

Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) is a powerful tool that allows you to automate tasks in Microsoft Excel. One of the many things you can do with VBA is create userforms, which are custom dialog boxes that you can use to collect and manage data. In this guide, we will focus on how you can quickly close a userform in VBA in just 3 minutes.

Understanding Userforms

Userforms are an essential part of VBA programming. They provide a more user-friendly way to enter, organize, and edit data in your Excel worksheets. Userforms are essentially custom dialog boxes that you can design and program to suit your specific needs. They can contain various controls such as text boxes, combo boxes, option buttons, and more.

While userforms can make data entry and management easier, it’s also important to know how to close them when they’re no longer needed. Leaving a userform open can consume system resources, and in some cases, it can even cause your Excel application to crash. Therefore, knowing how to quickly close a userform in VBA is a crucial skill for any VBA programmer.

Methods to Close a Userform

There are several methods you can use to close a userform in VBA. The method you choose will depend on your specific needs and the nature of your VBA project. Let’s take a look at some of the most common methods.

Unload Me Method

The ‘Unload Me’ method is perhaps the simplest way to close a userform. The ‘Me’ keyword refers to the userform that contains the code. When you use the ‘Unload Me’ method, VBA will close the userform and release all the resources it was using.

Here’s an example of how you can use the ‘Unload Me’ method:

Private Sub cmdClose_Click()
    Unload Me
End Sub

In this example, the ‘cmdClose_Click()’ procedure will run when the user clicks a command button named ‘cmdClose’. The ‘Unload Me’ statement will then close the userform.

Hide Method

The ‘Hide’ method is another way to close a userform. However, unlike the ‘Unload Me’ method, the ‘Hide’ method doesn’t release the resources that the userform was using. Instead, it simply makes the userform invisible. This can be useful if you want to hide the userform temporarily and show it again later without having to reload it.

Here’s an example of how you can use the ‘Hide’ method:

Private Sub cmdClose_Click()
    Me.Hide
End Sub

In this example, the ‘cmdClose_Click()’ procedure will run when the user clicks a command button named ‘cmdClose’. The ‘Me.Hide’ statement will then hide the userform.

Choosing the Right Method

Choosing the right method to close a userform depends on your specific needs. If you want to completely close the userform and release all the resources it was using, then the ‘Unload Me’ method is the way to go. However, if you want to hide the userform temporarily and show it again later without having to reload it, then the ‘Hide’ method is a better choice.

Keep in mind that while the ‘Hide’ method can be useful in some cases, it can also consume system resources if you’re not careful. If you hide a userform without unloading it, the userform and all its controls will remain in memory. This can slow down your Excel application and even cause it to crash if you’re working with large amounts of data.

Conclusion

Closing a userform in VBA is a simple task, but it’s also an important one. Whether you’re creating a simple data entry form or a complex VBA application, knowing how to quickly close a userform can help you manage system resources more effectively and prevent crashes.

Remember, the ‘Unload Me’ method is the simplest way to close a userform, but the ‘Hide’ method can be a better choice if you need to hide the userform temporarily. Choose the method that best suits your needs, and don’t forget to unload your userforms when they’re no longer needed.