Comments on: Two ways to change background color in Excel based on cell value

In this article, you will find two quick ways to change the background color of cells based on value in Excel 2016, 2013, and 2010. Also, you will learn how to use Excel formulas to change the color of blank cells or cells with formula errors. Continue reading →

Comments page 9. Total comments: 426

  1. Useful Article.Thanks...

  2. I have three cells. If Cell A1 is blank AND cell A2 is also blank then cell A3 should have value of 1.00 with light grey color and if cell A1 is not blank AND cell A2 is not blank then the cell value of A3 should be 1.00 in black colour. How can I do this in Excel?

  3. i got it thank you soo much

  4. But the thing I want is instead of values if i keep letter or characters for which i want to change the color of whole row or colum

  5. Hi Svetlana

    Thank you for sharing knowledge it is more useful and easy for me by following your steps.

    Thanks alot

  6. Its very usefully for me

  7. In cell m145 I have formula =sum (a1:a5,b3:b7,c4:c9,etc...)

    I can not figure out how to click on m145 and command it to change all the cells in the formula to turn a certain color.

    Help please.

  8. Hello Svetlana - Thank you so much for offering your time to all of us...

    I want to change the background color of an entire row to the color associated with the results of the conditional formatting of a cell in the row.

    Thanks!

  9. Thanks very much for your helpful article.

  10. I want to change a range of cells based on the values of each equivalent adjacent one. For example.

    A1 0
    A2 1
    A3 1

    I want to change A1 only if its equivalent adjacent is 0, same rule for A2 and A3, get it?
    I want to apply this for a range of cells, because my spreadsheet is really huge and apply this conditional formatting for each cell is really painful.

    Thanks!

  11. Hello. I am not 100% whether it has already been answered, so I'm sorry if the question is being repeated.

    I want to be able to change a cell (i.e. someone's name to a different colour) if they have responded to me. Basically if they have not response cell is blank, I want the font colour of the persons name to be Red, and if they have responded and the response cell has some data in it, I want their name to become Green. How would I do this?

    I hope that's clear enough? If not I can provide a clearer question.

    Thankyou! :)

  12. Thnx 4 the HELP......

  13. Hi All,
    I need help in excell my question is if i change a color in one cell of sheet
    automatically it should change in another cell of another sheet.

    Example:I have 6 sheets with same information.
    In "Sheet1 Jan sales" "Sheet2 FEBsales".If I change color "Yellow" For "Sheet1 Jan sales"in A6 cell "YEs" it should same refelect in "Sheet2 FEBsales" in A6 cell "Yes" as Yellow.

    Please send me with temp let with clear explanation.

    Waiting for solution for my question
    regards,
    Lakshmi

  14. This is great. You have explained it so easily. Thanks

  15. Hi,

    I want the following thing

    If B2 is equal to D2 then the cells become Green

    If B2 is equal to C2 then the cells become Red

    Can you please tell me

  16. Hi Svetlana,

    What I am trying to achieve is a reporting tool.
    I want to have default values and when they change, then have the cell display as red.

    So the scenario is A1 = Yes, B1 = No
    When the user changes either one, I'd want it to change colour. Is this done through conditional formatting?

    1. Hi Will,

      I think you can create 2 rules with the following simple formulas:

      For column A: =$A1<>"yes"
      For column B: =$B1<>"no"

  17. superb .....its work.
    thanks.

  18. thanks!!!

  19. Can I format a single cell or set of cells to highlight if another single cell or set of cells has any value? In other words, I have 5 cells that will contain data. If cells further down change from blank to any value (could be numeric or alpha or combo) I want the 5 cells with data to then be highlighted. Is that possible??

  20. Hi All,

    The numbers "Age" column should be filled in with colors against the status mentioned against each of them.

    How can we do this using conditional formatting.
    Say for example cell containing "3" should be filled with Orange color.

    Age Status
    3 Orange
    4 Green
    10 Red

    1. Hello Dinesh

      Here is your solution step by step

      let me assume cell A2=3, A3=4 and A4=10

      1. Go to cell B2
      2. Click on Conditional Formatting
      3. Select Manage Rules
      4. Click New Rule
      5. Select Use a formula to determine which cells to format
      6. In the box of "Format values where this formula is true:" type
      =A2=3
      7. Click on format select fill and select the color you want
      8. Click ok again ok and again ok
      9. Go to Cell B3 and repeat step 2 to step 5
      10. In the box of "Format values where this formula is true:" type =A3=4
      11. Repeat step 7 and step 8
      12. Go to Cell B4 and repeat step 2 to step 5
      13. In the box of "Format values where this formula is true:" type =A4=10
      14. Repeat step 7 and step 8

      its done.

      enjoy.

  21. Svetlana,

    Thank you for the article. However, I am still trying to figure out a formatting issue. How can I automatically format multiple cells to a certain color if they have multiple values that are less than or greater than a certain value. For e.g., I am trying to format different values with different quota goals listed in multiple cells. Would I need to format each cell individually? I'd appreciate your feedback.

    1. Hello Sushant,

      No need to format each cell individually. You can select the range where you want to apply the conditional formatting and apply it.

  22. Useful information.

    Thanks

  23. Hi Svetlana,

    Can you help me in this,

    I have two columns

    Column A - Numbers
    Column B - Some Remarks to be updated manually.

    If column A1>0 & B1 has some text B1 should not change its bg color
    If column A1>0 & B1 is blank then B1 should change its bg color to Yellow automatically

    Is it possible??

    Thanking you in advance.

    Awaiting for your reply....

    1. Hello,

      Here is the solution.
      1. go to cell B1
      2. click on Conditional Formatting
      3. select Manage Rules
      4. click New Rule
      5. select Use a formula to determine which cells to format
      6. in the box of "Format values where this formula is true:" type
      =and(a1>0,b1="")
      7. click on format select fill and select the color you want
      8. click ok again ok and again ok

      its done.

      enjoy.

      1. Thank you very much Deepak,
        It is working :)

  24. Hi Svetlana,

    I want to change the text of a Cell by changing color of another Cell. Like: If I change the color of A1 to green, then A2 should be written as Correct.

    Kindly help me with a function.

  25. I have one data sheet how can auto find particular record then find the record change the color of cell find the records.

    Thanks

  26. Is there a way to create conditional formatting that would change the color of a cell depending on the number of dates entered into the cell? For instance, I have a teacher that keeps up with her students' milestones by entering a date into the cell each time the student completes a milestone. If one or two dates are entered, she wants the cell to be yellow. When the third date is entered, she wants the cell to change to green. This would allow her to see the date in which a student reached a milestone and when they are completed the milestone. Any help would be appreciated! I'm completely stuck.

  27. Thanks for this helpful article.

  28. what if i want to change the color based on the value of other cell?
    Suppose that if value of F3 cell is greater than E3 cell then F3 cell should fill with red colour. How can i apply formula for that?

    1. Vishwan,

      Create a rule for F3 with the formula =$F3>$E3

      1. Hi Svetlana,
        I just have one problem hope you could suggest some steps.
        We export an excel file from web application we made which is working fine. Now we created an Excel template that we use to fill data. But I am stuck with one problem. When I export the file from web app I have no problem with styling, but when I use template I am unable to set background color for blank cells that are generated in between data. The data generated and is not having a fixed size of rows. Can we create a formula which will detect blank cells and follow the same rules we give for cells with data until the last row of data discovered and from there treat blank as blank.

  29. Hi Svetlana,

    i have highlited a column with 3 conditions and i got all the column filled with 3 different colrs as i needed. Now, i need to calculate no. of cells in each color for all 3 colors. can you help me?
    please.

    thanks.

  30. Hi, will you please help me,

    i want to find cell using find & select feature in excel with color, Format changing is not working with my excel,
    if you have any other way please help me.

    Thank's

  31. Hi Svetlana,

    I have Jan to Dec Sale for Year for 4 separate products and for 4 region.

    I have put vlookup to find sale sale for one product with one region.

    But it needs to be colored In Data sheet.

  32. Let say, we have standard output for various items in one column B2:B10. Daily production numbers for similar items are inserted in other columns C2:D10. For control purposes, daily production number below standard output should be formatted red in font in range C2:D10. How to get it done with Conditional formatting? Please advise.
    Thanks...Aamir

    IN STD Mon Tues
    1 200 190 200
    2 100 110 105
    3 250 240 210
    4 150 160 100
    5 275 274 250
    6 300 290 310
    7 350 360 340
    8 700 690 710
    9 250 255 250

  33. I need my cells to change color when a specific date arrives. Like 90 days before an expiration it changes to yellow and then 30 days prior it changes to red. Please help!

  34. It was very helpful....thank you

  35. I have the conditional formatting set for dates in one column, now how do I get that row to highlight based on that date.

    tia!

    1. Just apply the rule to several columns that you want to have highlighted.

  36. Hi Svetlana,

    I have the following data...
    A1=20
    A2=12
    A3=9
    then
    B1=19
    B2=13
    B3=8
    I want that when the values in column A are smaller than the adjacent values in bolumn B, the figures in column A change colour. In this case, A1 and A3 should turn into a different colour.

    Thank you before hand for your help.

  37. I have a requirement whereby I want Cell Q21 to turn one of two colours based on the result that appears in Cell Q22.

    So if the result in Cell Q22 is equal to or greater than the value in Cell E20 I want Cell Q21 to turn "green"

    But if the result in Cell Q22 is less than the value in Cell E20 I want the Cell Q21 to turn "red"

    Can someone please advise a formula that can achieve this.

    Thank you.

    1. Hello Perry,

      You can create 2 rules for Q21 with the following formulas:

      Green: =$Q$22>=$E$20
      Red: =$Q$22<$E$20

  38. Svetlana
    I can't figure out how to make a cell color change when A1 is 10% greater that A2. I would like A2 to change its color

  39. i want this type of date& day format but i can't create this,please help me:-

    Month---March-15

    Dispatch Date Day
    01 Sunday
    02 Monday
    03 Tuesday
    04 Wednesday
    05 Thursday
    06 Friday
    07 Saturday
    08 Sunday
    09 Monday
    10 Tuesday
    11 Wednesday
    12 Thursday
    13 Friday
    14 Saturday
    15 Sunday

    the formula contain B2(for select the month & year)also contain the formula A5 & B2(i.e contain result 1,2,3,4,5 etc.etc.)
    and day contain formula is on table format(i.e cloum A & B,that's result day sunday,monday etc.)

  40. Hi...Svetlana Cheusheva

    Thanks for all information.
    This is very useful to me.

    Again thanks a lot.

  41. Hi Svetlana,

    I have requirement where in i want to color the cell automatically when i have added some value to other cell. how can i do that?
    like i want to color column X automatically when i will add some value to column Z.

  42. Hi Svetlana,

    I have requirement where in i want to color the cell automatically when i have added some value to other cell. how can i do that?
    like i want to color column X automatically when i will add some value to column Z

  43. Hi Svetlana,
    Thanks for all this info.
    I would like to change the colour of an entire row not just a cell, based on contents of a cell in that row. ie if the specified cell contains a specific word, the entire rows fill can be changed.
    Thanks
    Walter

  44. Can you please attached a filee as reference because i can not follow up with all the comments?

  45. Hi
    I am completely lost when it come to VBA and I need help.
    I have a folder where I save a lot of reports with the same excel format and then I have a master file where I copy and paste all the data from all the folders in. So I have tried a lot of things but cant get the master file to automatically copy the data from all the workbooks.I think where it becomes complex is the workbooks have drop down lists and some color formats in as well in some columns. So what I would like to do is the master file copy all data and past special from the other workbooks and if possible delete them after closing. Please I need help.

  46. Hi Svetlana,
    This is very useful

    I have one question,How to change the entire column color based on one cell value? eg if i have a text sunday in a cell, the entire column should be displayed in different color

    1. Hi Hari,

      You can select all the columns you want to highlight and create a rule with the following formula:

      =countif(A:A,"Sunday")>0

      Where A is the left-most column.

  47. Its very use full for me

    thank you

  48. OK Thanks a lot and for your time.
    I did google a lot but did not get any clue. You made it clear :)
    Thanks dear!
    Regards
    AMK

  49. Hi Svetlana,

    Is it possible to change color of cell by using formula alone and not using any conditional formatting.

    Regards
    AMK

    1. Hi!

      Nope, formulas can perform various calculations and insert values based on the conditions you specify. To change cells' color you need either conditional formatting or VBA.

  50. Thanks so much...

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