Default sheet direction: registry value defaultsheetr2lUserHKCU\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\excel\options

Policy ID: L_Defaultdirection
Scope: User Configuration
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
Source: Microsoft 365 Apps / Office Administrative Templates (version 5568.1000)
Category: Microsoft Excel 2016 › Excel Options › Advanced

Registry

defaultsheetr2l

REG_DWORDUser

HKCU\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\excel\options Current key

Enabled value: Depends on the option value
Element: Default sheet direction

Options
Item	Stored value
Right-to-Left	1
Left-to-Right	0

Apply with .reg · CMD · PowerShell

.reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\excel\options]

; Options (use only one)
; Right-to-Left
"defaultsheetr2l"=dword:00000001
; Left-to-Right
"defaultsheetr2l"=dword:00000000

CMD

:: Options (use only one)

:: Right-to-Left
reg add "HKCU\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\excel\options" /v "defaultsheetr2l" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
:: Left-to-Right
reg add "HKCU\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\excel\options" /v "defaultsheetr2l" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

PowerShell

# Common: create the key
New-Item -Path 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\excel\options' -Force | Out-Null

# Options (use only one)
# Right-to-Left
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\excel\options' -Name 'defaultsheetr2l' -PropertyType DWord -Value 1 -Force | Out-Null
# Left-to-Right
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\excel\options' -Name 'defaultsheetr2l' -PropertyType DWord -Value 0 -Force | Out-Null