Comments on: Formula bar in Excel: how to show, hide, expand or collapse

In this short tutorial, you will learn what the Excel formula bar is, how to restore a missing formula bar in different versions of Excel, and how to expand the formula bar so that a long formula can fit into it entirely. Continue reading →

Comments page 2. Total comments: 55

  1. Thanks for information.

  2. My problem is the tiny bar (edit formula) on the left side of that formula bar is hidden and formula bar is stretched across the whole place. Any idea to solve this?

  3. How to solve equations using excel
    I find it difficult

  4. Former special ed teacher going into data analyst. This is so helpful. I am hoping certifications will help in lieu of the experience at a midlife career change.
    writetojael.podbean.com
    55minutedrive.blogspot.com

  5. Am trying see how level best i can do by practicing in how to solve quadratic function using the excel sheet.

  6. Hi, Is there a way to show, the address indicated by the formula bar, but within a cell ? For example, let's say my cursor is in cell D18, the formula bar also indicates D18. I want the cell D5 (whatever) to indicate the coordinates D18, in fact the position of my cursor. I know it can be done with VB code, but I'm looking for a function. I've tried several functions to no avail. Thanks

  7. Thank you it helpfull i was trying for Formula bar option

  8. Any valid answer to Mary's question of November 28 2016? I am having the very same issue with the formula bar all the way to the right....

  9. That was helpful.

  10. When I start to enter a formula in a cell, for example,
    =sum( I want the little box that pops up showing me how I
    might like to complete it the formula). Does anyone know how to turn this
    on? Thanks very much.

  11. I'm using MS Excel 2013.How can I get one MASTER FORMULA BAR like MS Excel 2010 when I arrange two or more excel file.

  12. Here is another issue I had my formula bar appeared to just be a white box. Ended up the right most box had somehow become extended all the way to the right and off the screen. To recover it you have to down size your excel and stretch it off the screen and slide the excel window to the right until you find the edge. Slowly select and pull the edge to the left making the excel window smaller and smaller keep pulling it over until you have it all on the same page. I found where several folks had this issue but no fixes and plenty of people did not know what the person complaining was talking about. I felt I needed to document that somewhere before I carried on as it lost me several hours of productivity today. Chris Hall, PMP

    1. Hi Chris,

      I am have the similar issues.The box of formula bar extended all the way out to the left. And I still cannot see the edge of the left side after the worksheet is stretched out completely on the double screen display. What Can I do?

      Thanks!
      J

  13. Great article, but my Excel has a further problem. By whatever means I enable the Formula Bar, it never sticks. I save and close the file after enabling the Formula Bar, but upon reopening it's always turned off again. Any ideas?

    Thanks!
    John

  14. Thank you for great post. It is very informative to gain knowledge.

  15. Formula bar checked on, but still not showing. Disappears after a few minutes of work. Excel 2013. Tried the Control-Shift-U, it has an impact - the amount of white space increases or decreases - but there's no formula bar. Almost if it's shifted to right well beyond the screen.

  16. Totally agree with Dapacha - the Excel formula bar keeps disappearing after I've been working for 30 minutes or so. The only way to restore it has to been completely reboot.

    1. Mary - Any answer to your issue? I know it was a few years ago - but I am experiencing exactly what you described.
      thanks

  17. Is there any way to still see the formulas in the formula bar after an excel document has been electronically signed (and therefore locked) just for read-only purposes?

    Thanks so much!

  18. I'm using MS Excel 2016 MSO. In the formula bar in some but not all of my excel files, the box that shows cell contents (and allows editing thereof) has disappeared. The cell address box remains. How do I get the missing box to reappear on the formula bar? How did I make it disappear?

    Thanks

  19. thank you. I searched for ages to find your post.

  20. Hi all,

    I would like to ask you for help with displaying text in formula bar in excel2013.
    I use a filter ran by macros. It should filter hugh amount of data and it works, but I need to display in formula bar in final (filtered sheet) original text from source sheet instead of link "=source!F22". I tried to use F9 and it shows me text as I wanted, but when I made a change in source sheet, that change has not been transfered in to the filtered sheet, because F9 replace permanently link by text.

    Do you have any ideas?
    Thank you in advance
    Matej

  21. I cannot use the NORMAL controls of Excel..
    It has something to do with Formula Bar and is INFURIATING because a simple spreadsheet CANNOT be writen!!

    Please advise me.
    I have used Excel for 30 YEARS on and Off!!
    David

  22. Thank You - I didn't realize it was that simple!

  23. Hi i want to knw how to get the Workspace in ms excel if somehow that window is lost by chance and only formula bar is appearing. Even if i give normal view also that window for Workspace is not regained. Once after a new blank workbook is created it will come but either the row numbers will disappear or the window will open with some grid lines.

  24. I like Excel 2016 very much. However I am having a problem with the formula bar because the font is boxy and almost too small to read. Is there a way to modify the font in the formula bar? Thank you very much for your assistance.
    Gary Tower

    1. Hi Gary,

      I don't know a way to change just the font size in the formula bar. However, you can change the general font of the workbook in this way:

      File > Options > General, the section 'When creating new workbooks' > Font size.

      For the changes to take effect, restart Excel.

      The next time you open Excel, everything will be big. However, if you open an existing Excel workbook that was created and saved in normal size, only the font of the formula bar will change.

      1. Thanks Svetlana for the directions on how to make the font in the formula bar bigger. Maybe now I will be able to see when I duplicate the minus sign by mistake! You are very helpful.

  25. Want to build if formula

    =IF(ISNUMBER(SEARCH("1001",AH2)), "Clarification", "Yes")

    its working fine but want to add some more criteria to it.

    Eg: 1001,2001,3001, "Clarification"

    And 1002,2002,3002, "Information"
    and 1003,2003,3003, "error"

    need help

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