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A For…Next loop repeats a block of Visual Basic code while a counter moves from a starting value toward an ending value. The optional Step sets how the counter changes; without it, the counter increases by 1. The loop ends after the counter passes the bound, unless code exits it earlier.
How a For…Next loop works
The loop sets a counter to its starting value, runs the statements in its body, and advances the counter at Next. It repeats while the counter remains within the ending bound for the direction of travel. The start, end, and step therefore determine the values visited.
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For example, a loop from 1 to 5 with the default step visits 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. The final bound is included when the counter reaches it. Microsoft describes the statement as repeating statements while the loop counter approaches its final value in its Visual Basic .NET reference.
Syntax in Visual Basic .NET and VBA
The phrase “For Next loop” can refer to Visual Basic .NET or VBA. Their syntax is similar, but the counter declaration differs: Visual Basic .NET can declare a typed counter in the loop statement, while VBA’s documented form assigns a counter without that declaration.
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Visual Basic .NET
For counter [ As datatype ] = start To end [ Step step ]
statements
Next [ counter ]A simple example prints the numbers from 1 through 5:
For index As Integer = 1 To 5
Debug.Write(index.ToString & " ")
Next indexMicrosoft’s documented output is 1 2 3 4 5. See the Visual Basic .NET syntax reference.
VBA
For counter = start To end [ Step step ]
statements
Next [ counter ]In VBA, this example prints each counter value from 1 to 5 in the Immediate window:
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Debug.Print counter
Next counterFor VBA-specific details, use Microsoft’s For…Next statement reference.
How Step changes the loop
Step controls the amount added to or subtracted from the counter after each pass. If omitted, its value is 1. A positive step counts upward; a negative step counts downward. Choose a step that moves toward the ending bound, or the loop may not run as intended.
For number As Double = 2 To 0 Step -0.25
Debug.Write(number.ToString & " ")
NextThis Visual Basic .NET example counts down from 2 to 0 in quarter-step decrements, including the bound. The official example and behavior are documented in Microsoft’s For…Next reference.
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When to use For…Next instead of While or Do
Use For…Next when the work follows a known numeric range or expected iteration count, such as processing positions 1 through 10. If you do not know in advance how many repetitions are needed and the loop should continue until a condition changes, Microsoft recommends considering a While or Do loop instead.
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You can place one For…Next loop inside another. Give nested loops distinct counters so it is clear which loop each counter controls. This also helps avoid accidentally changing the outer loop’s progress while processing the inner loop.
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In Visual Basic .NET, Exit For leaves the loop before it reaches its normal end. Continue For skips the remaining statements in the current pass and proceeds to the next iteration. See Microsoft’s Visual Basic .NET reference for these control statements.
What happens if loop inputs change?
In Visual Basic .NET, the start, end, and step expressions are evaluated when the loop begins. Changing variables used in those expressions later does not change the iteration values already determined for that loop. Changing the counter inside the loop can also make its progression harder to follow and debug, so avoid doing so unless there is a clear reason.
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