Archive

How To Create and Reference Worksheets Using xlwings?

Method

【xlwings】

bk.sheets.add(name=None, before=None, after=None)

【xlwings API】

bk.WorkSheets.Add(Before, After, Count, Type)

#xlwings

bk.sheets.add()

#Insert before the 2nd worksheet

#bk.sheets.add(before=bk.sheets(2))

#Insert after the 2nd worksheet

#bk.sheets.add(after=bk.sheets(2))

#Reference a worksheet

#bk.sheets[0]

#bk.sheets(1)

#sht=bk.sheets[‘Sheet1’]

#sht.name=’MySheet’

#xlwings API

#bk.api.Worksheets.Add()

#Insert before the 2nd worksheet

#bk.api.Worksheets.Add (Before=bk.api.Worksheets(2))

#Insert 3 worksheets at once, place them at the front

#bk.api.Worksheets.Add(Count=3)

#Create a new chart worksheet

#bk.api.Worksheets.Add(Type=xw.constants.SheetType.xlChart)

#Use the Sheets object

#sht=bk.api.Sheets.Add()

#Reference the worksheet

#sht=Worksheets(1)

#sht=Worksheets(‘Sheet1’)

Sample Code

#Creating and Referencing Worksheets

import xlwings as xw    #Import the xlwings package

app=xw.App()
bk=app.books.active    #Get the active workbook
sht=bk.sheets.active    #Get the active worksheet

#xlwings
bk.sheets.add()
#Insert before the 2nd worksheet
#bk.sheets.add(before=bk.sheets(2))
#Insert after the 2nd worksheet
#bk.sheets.add(after=bk.sheets(2))
#Reference a worksheet 
#bk.sheets[0]
#bk.sheets(1)
#sht=bk.sheets['Sheet1']
#sht.name='MySheet'

#xlwings API
#bk.api.Worksheets.Add()
#Insert before the 2nd worksheet
#bk.api.Worksheets.Add (Before=bk.api.Worksheets(2))
#Insert 3 worksheets at once, place them at the front
#bk.api.Worksheets.Add(Count=3)
#Create a new chart worksheet
#bk.api.Worksheets.Add(Type=xw.constants.SheetType.xlChart)

#Use the Sheets object
#sht=bk.api.Sheets.Add()
#Reference the worksheet
#sht=Worksheets(1) 
#sht=Worksheets('Sheet1') 

bk.close()
app.kill()

xlwings-Worksheet

January 21, 2026 (0)

How To Reference, Activate, Save, and Close Workbooks Using xlwings?

Method

Reference a workbook

#xlwings

bk=xw.books[0]

#bk2=xw.books(2)

#pid=xw.apps.keys()

#app2=xw.apps[pid[0]]

Activate a workbook

#xlwings

#xw.books(1).activate()

#xw.books.active.name

#xlwings API

#app.api.Workbooks(1).Activate()

#app.api.ActiveWorkbook.Name

Save the workbook

#xlwings

bk.save()

#xlwings API

#bk=app.api.Workbooks(1)

#bk=app.api.Workbooks(“Workbook1”)

#bk.SaveAs(r”D:\test.xlsx”)

#bk.SaveCopyAs(r”D:\test.xlsx”)

Close the workbook

#xlwings

bk.close()

#xlwings API

app.api.Workbooks(1).Close()

Sample Code

#Reference, activate, save, and close a workbook

import xlwings as xw    #Import the xlwings package

app=xw.App()
app.books.add()

#xlwings
bk=xw.books[0]
#bk2=xw.books(2)

#pid=xw.apps.keys()
#app2=xw.apps[pid[0]]

#Activate a workbook
#xlwings
#xw.books(1).activate()
#xw.books.active.name

#xlwings API
#app.api.Workbooks(1).Activate()
#app.api.ActiveWorkbook.Name

#Save the workbook
#xlwings
#bk.save()

#xlwings API
#bk=app.api.Workbooks(1)
#bk=app.api.Workbooks("Workbook1")
#bk.SaveAs(r"D:\test.xlsx")
#bk.SaveCopyAs(r"D:\test.xlsx")

#Close the workbook
#xlwings
bk.close()

#xlwings API
#app.api.Workbooks(1).Close()

app.kill()

xlwings-Workbook

January 21, 2026 (0)

How To Create and Open Workbooks Using xlwings?

Method

Creating a Workbook:

bk=app.Workbooks.Add()

bk=app.Workbooks.Add(constants.xlWBATChart)

bk=app.Workbooks.Add(r’C:\1.xlsx’)

Opening a Workbook:

bk=app.Workbooks.Open(r’D:\test.xlsx’)

bk=app.Workbooks.Open(root+r’/test.xlsx’)

#Create a workbook

#xlwings

bk=xw.books.add()

#Or

#bk=xw.Book()

#Or

#app=xw.App()

#bk=xw.books.active

#xlwings API

#app=xw.App()

#bk=app.api.Workbooks.Add()

#Open a workbook

#xlwings

#bk=xw.books.open(r’D:\1.xlsx’) ”d:/1.xlsx’

#xlwings API

#bk=app.api.Workbooks.Open(r’D:\1.xlsx’)

Sample Code

#Creating and Opening Workbooks

import xlwings as xw    #Import the xlwings package

#Create a workbook
#xlwings
#app=xw.App()
#bk=xw.books.add()
#Or
#bk=xw.Book()
#Or
#app=xw.App()
#bk=xw.books.active

#xlwings API
#app=xw.App()
#bk=app.api.Workbooks.Add()

#Open a workbook
#xlwings
app=xw.App()
bk=app.books.open(r'data.xlsx')

#xlwings API
#bk=app.api.Workbooks.Open(r'data.xlsx')

bk.close()
app.kill()

xlwings-Workbook

January 20, 2026 (0)

Other Common Properties of Application Object

Method

#Refresh screen #xlwings app.screen_updating=False #Show warnings #xlwings #app.display_alerts=False #Call worksheet functions #xlwings #app.api.WorksheetFunction.CountIf(app.api.Range(‘B2:F5′),’>8′)

Sample Code

#Other commonly used properties

import xlwings as xw    #Import the xlwings package

app=xw.App()

#Refresh screen
#xlwings
app.screen_updating=False

#Show warnings
#xlwings
#app.display_alerts=False

#Call worksheet functions
#xlwings
#app.api.WorksheetFunction.CountIf(app.api.Range('B2:F5'),'>8')

#app.kill()

xlwings-Application

January 20, 2026 (0)

Application Object: Properties for Position, Size, Title, Visibility, and Status

Method

#xlwings API

app.api.Left #Location

#app.api.Top

#app.api.Width #Size

#app.api.Height

#app.api.Caption #Title

#app.api.Visible #Visibility

#app.api.WindowState #Status

#app.api.WindowState=xw.constants.WindowState.xlMaximized

Sample Code

#Location, size, title, visibility, and status properties

import xlwings as xw    #Import the xlwings package

app=xw.App()

#xlwings API
app.api.Left    #Location
#app.api.Top
#app.api.Width    #Size
#app.api.Height
#app.api.Caption    #Title
#app.api.Visible    #Visibility
#app.api.WindowState    #Status
#app.api.WindowState=xw.constants.WindowState.xlMaximized

app.kill()

xlwings-Application

January 19, 2026 (0)

Two Ways to Use xlwings

Method

xlwings method, using new syntax

sht.range(‘A1’).value=10

xlwings API method, using VBA-style class syntax

sht.api.Range(‘A1’).Value=10

sht.api returns a COM object.

Sample Code

#Two Programming Approaches with the xlwings Package  

import xlwings as xw   #Import the xlwings package 

app=xw.App()    #Create an Excel application
bk=app.books.active    #Get the active workbook
sht=bk.sheets.active    #Get the active worksheet

#xlwings
sht.range('A1').value=10

#xlwings API
#sht.api.Range('A1').Value=10

bk.close()
app.kill()

xlwings-Application

January 19, 2026 (0)

General Process of Using xlwings

Method

Import xlwings package

import xlwings as xw

Create or get main objects

app=xw.App()

bk=app.books.active #Get the active workbook

sht=bk.sheets.active #Get the active sheet

Data processing

sht.range(‘A1’).value=10

Save the workbook, close it and exit

bk.close()

app.kill()

Sample Code

#General Process of Using the xlwings Package  

import xlwings as xw    #Import the xlwings package 

app=xw.App()    #Create an Excel application  
bk=app.books.active    #Get the active workbook 
sht=bk.sheets.active    #Get the active worksheet  

#Process data 
sht.range("A1").value=10

#Close the workbook
bk.close()
#Exit the application
app.kill()

xlwings-Application

January 18, 2026 (0)

xlwings Packages and It's Installation

Comparison of Python Packages Related to Excel

Python Package	Description
xlrd	Supports reading `.xls` and `.xlsx` files
xlwt	Supports writing `.xls` files
OpenPyXl	Supports reading and writing `.xlsx`, `.xlsm`, `.xltx`, `.xltm` files, supports the Excel object model, and does not depend on Excel
XlsxWriter	Supports writing `.xlsx` files, supports VBA
win32com	Encapsulates all Excel objects used by VBA
comtypes	Encapsulates all Excel objects used by VBA
xlwings	Rewraps Win32COM, supports mixed programming with VBA, and supports data type conversion between various data types
pandas	Supports reading and writing `.xls` and `.xlsx` files, provides various data processing functions, simpler processing, and faster speed

OpenPyXl（Does not depend on Excel)

win32com：xlwings predecessor, encapsulates VBA object model, Windows platform

xlwings：Powerful, platform-independent

pandas：Based on NumPy, fast, data cleaning

Excel Objects and Their Hierarchy

Application Object

Workbooks Collection Object

Workbook Object

Worksheets Collection Object

Worksheet Object

Range Obejct

Installation of xlwings Package

Install directly online. In PowerShell, type:

pip install xlwings

Press Enter.

For offline installation, visit the URL:

https://pypi.org/

Download the corresponding version and 32/64-bit installation file, then install it.

xlwings-Application

January 18, 2026 (0)