
                                                                      EXHIBIT 23

               CONSENT OF ERNST & YOUNG LLP, INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

         We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Annual Report
(Form 10-K) of Actel Corporation of our report dated January 22, 2001, included
in the 2000 Annual Report to Shareholders of Actel Corporation.

         Our audits also included the financial statement schedule of Actel
Corporation listed in Item 14(a). This schedule is the responsibility of Actel's
management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion based on our audits. In
our opinion, the financial statement schedule referred to above, when considered
in relation to the basic financial statements as a whole, presents fairly in all
material respects the information set forth therein.

         We also consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration
Statements (Form S-8 Nos. 33-74492, 333-3398, 333-71627, 333-36222, 333-43274,
and 333-54652) of our report dated January 22, 2001, with respect to the
consolidated financial statements of Actel Corporation incorporated by reference
in its Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2000, and our
report included in the preceding paragraph with respect to the financial
statement schedule included in this Annual Report (Form 10-K) of Actel
Corporation.

                                                           /S/ ERNST & YOUNG LLP

San Jose, California
April 2, 2001
