Excel Camera creates a live picture of a cell range. The picture can sit elsewhere in the workbook, even on another sheet, and it updates automatically when the original cells change.
Does this affect you?
Use this for Excel for Microsoft 365, Excel 2021, and Excel 2019 on Windows or Mac when a dashboard needs live snapshots of tables, charts, or summary blocks without moving the source data.
Add the Camera tool
The command is hidden by default, so add it once to the Quick Access Toolbar.
- Open the Quick Access Toolbar dropdown.
- Choose More Commands.
- Set Choose commands from to All Commands.
- Scroll to Camera.
- Select Camera, click Add, then click OK.
A small camera icon remains available on the Quick Access Toolbar for future workbooks.
Create a live snapshot
Use the Camera button after selecting the source range.
- Select the cells to capture.
- Click the Camera icon.
- Click or drag on the destination sheet where the snapshot should appear.
- Resize or move the resulting picture as needed.
The picture is linked to the original cells. Changing a source value updates the snapshot automatically.
More control
Build a dashboard
Capture key ranges from several sheets and arrange the snapshots on one dashboard tab. The dashboard stays live without duplicating the source data.
Resize or move it like a picture
Click the snapshot to show handles, then drag a corner to resize or drag the object to reposition it.
Change the source range
Select the snapshot and check the formula bar. It references a range such as =Sheet2!$A$1:$D$10. Edit that formula to point to another range.
Fix a broken snapshot
If the source range was deleted or moved so the picture can no longer find it, delete the snapshot and create a new one from the correct cells.
Sources
- Microsoft Support – Customize the Quick Access Toolbar (2025)
- Microsoft Support – Insert or delete a worksheet (2024)
- Microsoft Support – Overview of formulas in Excel (2024)