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How to list all files in folder and subfolders into a worksheet?

Have you ever tried to list all filenames from a folder into a worksheet including the files located within its subfolders? In fact, there is no direct way for us to list the filenames from a folder and its subfolder in Excel, however, today, I will introduce some quick tricks to solve this job.

List all filenames in folder and subfolder with VBA code

List all filenames in folder and subfolder quickly and easily with Kutools for Excel


Normally, Excel has no build in feature to deal with this task, but, you can apply the following VBA code to complete this problem.

1. Activate a new worksheet which will list the filenames.

2. Hold down the ALT + F11 keys in Excel, and it opens the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window.

3. Click Insert > Module, and paste the following code in the Module Window.

VBA code: List all filenames in folder and subfolder

Sub MainList()
'Updateby Extendoffice
Set folder = Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogFolderPicker)
If folder.Show <> -1 Then Exit Sub
xDir = folder.SelectedItems(1)
Call ListFilesInFolder(xDir, True)
End Sub
Sub ListFilesInFolder(ByVal xFolderName As String, ByVal xIsSubfolders As Boolean)
Dim xFileSystemObject As Object
Dim xFolder As Object
Dim xSubFolder As Object
Dim xFile As Object
Dim rowIndex As Long
Set xFileSystemObject = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set xFolder = xFileSystemObject.GetFolder(xFolderName)
rowIndex = Application.ActiveSheet.Range("A65536").End(xlUp).Row + 1
For Each xFile In xFolder.Files
  Application.ActiveSheet.Cells(rowIndex, 1).Formula = xFile.Name
  rowIndex = rowIndex + 1
Next xFile
If xIsSubfolders Then
  For Each xSubFolder In xFolder.SubFolders
    ListFilesInFolder xSubFolder.Path, True
  Next xSubFolder
End If
Set xFile = Nothing
Set xFolder = Nothing
Set xFileSystemObject = Nothing
End Sub
Function GetFileOwner(ByVal xPath As String, ByVal xName As String)
Dim xFolder As Object
Dim xFolderItem As Object
Dim xShell As Object
xName = StrConv(xName, vbUnicode)
xPath = StrConv(xPath, vbUnicode)
Set xShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")
Set xFolder = xShell.Namespace(StrConv(xPath, vbFromUnicode))
If Not xFolder Is Nothing Then
  Set xFolderItem = xFolder.ParseName(StrConv(xName, vbFromUnicode))
End If
If Not xFolderItem Is Nothing Then
  GetFileOwner = xFolder.GetDetailsOf(xFolderItem, 8)
Else
  GetFileOwner = ""
End If
Set xShell = Nothing
Set xFolder = Nothing
Set xFolderItem = Nothing
End Function

4. After pasting the code into the Module, press F5 key to run this code, and a Macros dialog box pops up, select the MainList macro name, and then click Run button, see screenshot:

doc list files in folder subfolder 1

5. And in the Browse window, please select the folder that you want to list all filenames including the subfolders, see screenshot:

doc list files in folder subfolder 2

6. After specifying the folder, then click OK button, and all the filenames in the folder and its subfolders have been listed into current worksheet from cell A2, see screenshots:

doc list files in folder subfolder 3
 1
doc list files in folder subfolder 4

With above code, you can just list the filenames, sometimes, you need to list other attributes, such as file size, file type, created time, containing folder and so. Kutools for Excel contains a useful function – Filename List, with this feature, you can quickly list all or specific types of filenames in a folder and its subfolders.

Kutools for Excel : with more than 300 handy Excel add-ins, free to try with no limitation in 30 days.

After installing Kutools for Excel, please do with following steps:

1. Click Enterprise > Import & Export > Filename List, see screenshot:

2. In the Filename List dialog box, do the following operations:

A: Click doc list files in folder subfolder 7button to choose the folder that you want to list the filenames;

B: Specify the file type that you want to list from the Files type section;

C: Select one file size unit you want to display from the File size unit section.

Note: To list the filenames from the subfolder, please check Include files in subdirectories, you can also check the Include hidden files and folders as you need. If you check Create hyperlinks option, it will create hyperlinks for each filenames and folders.

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3. Then click OK button, all of the files contained in the selected folder and its subfolders have been displayed with following attributes in a new worksheet. See screenshot:

doc list files in folder subfolder 8

Click to know more details about this Filename List utility.

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Kutools for Excel: with more than 300 handy Excel add-ins, free to try with no limitation in 30 days. Download and free trial Now!

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Comments (20)
No ratings yet. Be the first to rate!
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Nice work, exactly what I was trying to create. But this is 1000% better.
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Sorry... I gave you the wrong code (below), here is the code I modified..
Code:
Sub MainList()
On Error Resume Next
Dim xFileSystemObject As Object
Dim xFolder As Object
Dim xSubFolder As Object
Dim xFile As Object
Dim rowIndex As Long
Dim answer As Variant
answer = False
With Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogFolderPicker)
.Title = "Select a Folder"
.AllowMultiSelect = False
Set folder = Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogFolderPicker)
If folder.Show = -1 Then
xDir = folder.SelectedItems(1)
Else
Exit Sub
End If
End With

Call ListFilesInFolder(xDir, True)
End Sub

Sub ListFilesInFolder(ByVal xFolderName As String, ByVal xIsSubfolders As Boolean)
Set xFileSystemObject = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set xFolder = xFileSystemObject.GetFolder(xFolderName)
rowIndex = Application.ActiveSheet.Range("A65536").End(xlUp).Row + 1

' Add a space then the Folder Name to the Worksheet
rowIndex = rowIndex + 1
With Application.ActiveSheet.Cells(rowIndex, 1)
.Value = xFolder.Name
.Font.Size = 12
.Font.FontStyle = "Bold Italic"
End With
rowIndex = rowIndex + 1

For Each xFile In xFolder.Files
Application.ActiveSheet.Cells(rowIndex, 1).Formula = xFile.Name
rowIndex = rowIndex + 1
Next xFile
If xIsSubfolders Then
For Each xSubFolder In xFolder.SubFolders
ListFilesInFolder xSubFolder.Path, True
Next xSubFolder
rowIndex = rowIndex + 1
End If

Set xFile = Nothing
Set xFolder = Nothing
Set xFileSystemObject = Nothing

Call MainList
End Sub


This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
I have modified your code to make it recycle and re-run the folder dialog continuously until you press Cancel.Unfornatually it generates some errors.1. If subfolders become involved in a folder selected then the next folder selected becomes out of numerical order.2. If subfolders become involved in a folder selected the Cancel button has to be repeated and repeated depending on how many folders you have added.
Code:
Sub MainList()
'Updateby Extendoffice
Set folder = Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogFolderPicker)
If folder.Show <> -1 Then Exit Sub
xDir = folder.SelectedItems(1)
Call ListFilesInFolder(xDir, True)
End SubSub ListFilesInFolder(ByVal xFolderName As String, ByVal xIsSubfolders As Boolean)
Dim xFileSystemObject As Object
Dim xFolder As Object
Dim xSubFolder As Object
Dim xFile As Object
Dim rowIndex As Long
Set xFileSystemObject = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set xFolder = xFileSystemObject.GetFolder(xFolderName)
rowIndex = Application.ActiveSheet.Range("A65536").End(xlUp).Row + 1
For Each xFile In xFolder.Files
Application.ActiveSheet.Cells(rowIndex, 1).Formula = xFile.Name
rowIndex = rowIndex + 1
Next xFile
If xIsSubfolders Then
For Each xSubFolder In xFolder.SubFolders
ListFilesInFolder xSubFolder.Path, True
Next xSubFolder
End If
Set xFile = Nothing
Set xFolder = Nothing
Set xFileSystemObject = Nothing
End Sub

any ideas ?
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Does it work on MAC too?
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Hey, so if I have to just extract an extension from the whole list, where should I make changes?
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Really new to VBA. how do i use the above code but have the file path built into it so i don't have to search for it every time?
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
My VBA is saying that the variable folder is not defined. Anyone know why this is?
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
What was the purpose of the parameter ByVal xIsSubfolders As Boolean?
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Extremamente elegante este código!
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Sub "GetFileOwner()" in code above is not used.
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Hello, jumpjack,
The above code works well in my Excel, which Excel version do you use?
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