Refresh PivotTable automatically - this is how it works

Unless you have made other settings, you will have to update your PivotTable manually. However, Excel also provides an automatic refresh feature that you can activate if needed. Learn here where to turn on the feature and what to keep in mind.

How to enable the automatic refresh feature

Automatic refresh of the PivotTable is not turned on by default. Follow these steps to enable the feature:

1. Open Excel and a document that contains a PivotTable.
2. Left-click anywhere in the PivotTable.
3. Switch to the Analyze tab in the ribbon.
4. Click the Options button in the PivotTable category to open the settings.
5. Switch to the "Data" tab and check the "Refresh when file is opened" checkbox.
6. Finally confirm the change by clicking "OK".

Excel will now always automatically update the PivotTable data as soon as you open the file. Note that you still need to manually update PivotTable when you have the file open and make updates to the source data.

Manually Update PivotTable: How to keep your data up to date

Alternatively, you can also manually update the data in your PivotTable. To do this, simply click anywhere in the table in the workbook and switch to the "Analyze" tab in the ribbon. There you will find the "Refresh" option in the "Data" category. Click this and Excel will bring the data up to date.