Looping over checkboxes with VBA in Excel very slow - excel

Question

I have an Excel Sheet with about 4500 checkboxes (I know, it sounds stupid, but it is for a customer, please do not ask...).
Just wrote the VBA Sub below to uncheck all the boxes together. So far it works, but it is terribly slow, it takes more than 5 minutes until all boces are unchecked and while the Sub is running, the whole Excel Applikation grays out freezes. I know, 4500 Checkboxes is quiet a lot, but I wonder that it is really enough to bring Excel in such a trouble....Has anyone an idea?
Best
Michael
Sub DeselectAll()
Application.EnableCancelKey = False
Application.Calculation = xlCalculationManual
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
Application.EnableEvents = False
Dim wksA As Worksheet
Dim intRow As Integer
Set wksA = Worksheets("Companies")
For intRow = 1 To 4513
wksA.CheckBoxes("Checkbox_" & intRow).Value = False
Next
End Sub

Answer 1

Without selection:
Sub DeselectAll()
With Worksheets("Companies").CheckBoxes
.Value = xlOff
End With
End Sub

Answer 2

Just don't loop.
This is a good example of when Selection can help:
To set all checkboxes:
Sub dural()
ActiveSheet.CheckBoxes.Select
Selection.Value = xlOn
End Sub
To uncheck all checkboxes:
Sub dural2()
ActiveSheet.CheckBoxes.Select
Selection.Value = xlOf
End Sub
( tested on Forms-type checkboxes )

Answer 3

The best answer I thumbs up for is #EvR solution. I am not trying to answer but offering an idea of a workaround.
I checked the time by adding 4000 ComboBox in blank sheet in a blank workbook with a simple 3 line loop (omg I forgot to off screen updating and calculations etc). It took around 10 minutes in my old laptop. I don’t have courage to repeat the ordeal again.
When I tried to use your piece of code with looping it is taking 3-4 seconds only and with #EvR’s solution without loop and selection is taking 1-2 seconds. These times are actual time taken with Debug.Print or writing to some cells. Actual drama unfolds after screen updates, calculations, events are enabled with the sheet active. It become highly unstable and any careless click etc cause excel to ‘not responding’ state for 2-5 mintues.
Though Customer and Boss are always right. Once in my life I succeeded to persuade someone in a similar approach of hundreds of buttons on a worksheet to something virtual. My Idea is to create virtual checkbox in the sheet. Proper cell sizing and border with validation of the cells to `=ChrW(&H2714)’ and ignore blank and a simple code like below can make it a pass-through type of work-around.
Public Prvsel As Range
Private Sub Worksheet_SelectionChange(ByVal Target As Range)
Dim isect, Cl As Range
Set isect = Application.Intersect(Target, Range("C1:C4000"))
If isect Is Nothing Then
Set Prvsel = Nothing 'Release multiple selection
Exit Sub
End If
If isect.Cells.Count > 1 Then
Set Prvsel = isect 'storing multiple selection for next click event
Else
If Target.Value = ChrW(&H2714) Then
Target.Value = ""
Else
Target.Value = ChrW(&H2714)
End If
If Not Prvsel Is Nothing Then
For Each Cl In Prvsel.Cells
Cl.Value = Target.Value
Next Cl
End If
End If
End Sub

Answer 4

Elaborating on #Ahmed AU solution.
Select/Deselect signal/ multiple virtual checkboxs
Private Sub Worksheet_SelectionChange(ByVal Target As Range)
Dim isect As Range
Dim Cl As Range
Dim Prvsel As Range
Set isect = Application.Intersect(Target, Range("C1:C4000"))
If isect Is Nothing Then
Set Prvsel = Nothing 'Release multiple selection
Exit Sub
End If
' Use WINGDING font Chr (254) for checked
' Use WINGDING font Chr (111) for uncheck
If isect.Cells.Count >= 1 Then
Set Prvsel = isect
For Each Cl In Prvsel.Cells
If Cl.Value = Chr(111) Then
Cl.Value = Chr(254)
Else
Cl.Value = Chr(111)
End If
Next Cl
End If
'Go to offset cell selection
Selection.Offset(0, 1).Select
End Sub