Change Excel sheet tab color using Open XML dll

Question

Hi,
I want to change the sheet tab color of an excel Xlsx  document. I am using the following code but it does not set the sheet color. I get object reference exception when I set the sheet tab color.
public static string filepath = @"C:\Test\Book1.xlsx";
private static void ChangeSheetcolor()
try
using (SpreadsheetDocument spreadSheetDocument = SpreadsheetDocument.Open(filepath, false))
WorkbookPart workbookPart = spreadSheetDocument.WorkbookPart;
IEnumerable<Sheet> sheets = spreadSheetDocument.WorkbookPart.Workbook.GetFirstChild<Sheets>().Elements<Sheet>();
//my code
WorksheetPart worksheetPart =
GetWorksheetPartByName(spreadSheetDocument, "Sheet1");
if (worksheetPart != null)
// worksheetPart.Worksheet.SheetProperties.TabColor.Rgb = DocumentFormat.OpenXml.HexBinaryValue.FromString("Red");
worksheetPart.Worksheet.SheetProperties.TabColor.Rgb = DocumentFormat.OpenXml.HexBinaryValue.FromString("#CCCCCC");
// Save the worksheet.
worksheetPart.Worksheet.Save();
catch (Exception ex)
private static WorksheetPart
GetWorksheetPartByName(SpreadsheetDocument document,
string sheetName)
IEnumerable<Sheet> sheets =
document.WorkbookPart.Workbook.GetFirstChild<Sheets>().
Elements<Sheet>().Where(s => s.Name == sheetName);
if (sheets.Count() == 0)
//does not exist
return null;
string relationshipId = sheets.First().Id.Value;
WorksheetPart worksheetPart = (WorksheetPart)
document.WorkbookPart.GetPartById(relationshipId);
return worksheetPart;
How to change the sheet tab color using Open XML dlls.
Thanks
Ashok

Answer 1

Hi J_Prasanna,
I'm afraid that it's not possible with OpenXML SDK, but it's possible if you use Excel PIA along with Internet Explorer. Use the Internet Explorer COM object to render the HTML content, then copy the document, use the Paste method of the Worksheet object
to paste the text with format.
Dim IE As Object
Set IE = CreateObject("InternetExplorer.Application")
With IE
.Visible = False
.Navigate "about:blank"
.document.body.InnerHTML = Sheets("Sheet1").Range("A1").Value
.document.body.createtextrange.execCommand "Copy"
ActiveSheet.Paste Destination:=Sheets("Sheet1").Range("A1")
.Quit
End With
The code is similar if you use managed project.
We are trying to better understand customer views on social support experience, so your participation in this interview project would be greatly appreciated if you have time. Thanks for helping make community forums a great place.
Click
HERE to participate the survey.