# Excel format question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-format-question/466771>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 7, 2008, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-format-question/466771 "2008-10-07T00:42:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\
**Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-format-question/466771/1 "2008-10-07T00:42:43Z")

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I have had a strange thing happen to one of my Excel spreadsheets. The labels on the tabs (I have several worksheets in this one spreadsheet) have become almost invisible. They are white text on an almost white background. The text is there, if you highlight it one can easily see it. None of my other spreadsheets have suffered this problem. If I open several spreadsheets at the same time, only this one has the problem. It remains after saving and reopening the spreadsheet. The text in the rest of the spreadsheet (all the worksheets) is fine. Only the label names on the worksheet tabs. I checked my prefs and don’t see anywhere to alter that formatting. Anyone have any ideas?  
Thanks

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\
**Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-format-question/466771/2 "2008-10-07T00:45:50Z")

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> [@rbroome](#):
>
> I have had a strange thing happen to one of my Excel spreadsheets. The labels on the tabs (I have several worksheets in this one spreadsheet) have become almost invisible. They are white text on an almost white background. The text is there, if you highlight it one can easily see it. None of my other spreadsheets have suffered this problem. If I open several spreadsheets at the same time, only this one has the problem. It remains after saving and reopening the spreadsheet. The text in the rest of the spreadsheet (all the worksheets) is fine. Only the label names on the worksheet tabs. I checked my prefs and don’t see anywhere to alter that formatting. Anyone have any ideas?  
> Thanks

interesting. I had recently started saving workspaces. Apparently that is the cause. When I open the spreadsheet by itself it is normal. Apparently there is an (un)documented feature in Excel. Imagine that! 🙂