Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: How Many Rows and Columns Have I Selected?.
As I am typing along in Excel, I find it a bother to take my hands off the keyboard and fumble for the mouse. Thus, I will often use the keyboard to make selections. I simply hold down the Shift key and use the arrow keys to expand my selection. As I do so, Excel obliges me by reporting, in the Name box, the number of rows and columns I have selected.
The problem is, once I let go of the Shift key, the contents of the Name box return to normal, and I can no longer tell how many rows and columns I selected. To solve this, I find it very easy to again hold down the Shift key and press one of the arrow keys. This expands the selected range and again reports the selection size in the Name box. If I immediately press the opposite arrow key (while still holding down the Shift key), the selection returns to my original size and I can see the size of that selection in the Name box.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (8849) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: How Many Rows and Columns Have I Selected?.
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2017-10-11 10:20:47
Gary Lundblad
Thank you Chuck! That helped. I was looking in the wrong place.
Thanks again for clarifying!
Gary
2017-10-10 23:48:52
Chuck Trese
Gary,
You have to have the Formula Bar active (In 2013, Ribbon -> "View" tab -> "Show" group -> "Formula Bar" checkbox should be checked). When your formula bar is visible, the "Name" box is visible to the left of the Formula Bar. The number of selected cells is visible there, but only as you are holding down the shift key (or left-mouse-button) while selecting cells. when you select enough to have to scroll off screen, Excel stops displaying it in the Name box, and displays it at the corner of the selection where you are expanding the selection. So, while expanding your selection down-and-right, it will be displayed at bottom-right corner of the selection.
2017-10-10 10:43:54
Gary Lundblad
I'm using Excel 2016 and have no idea what this tip is referring to. I do not see any indication of how many cells I have selected. There must be an option to turn this on and off. Can you provide some direction to do so?
Thank you!
Gary
2017-02-17 04:56:26
JPA
It is a tipp indeed.
But kind of a sloppy solution.
MS should implement an indicator of the total numbe of chosen cells. As Libreoffice does. Where the total number and not only the product (10Rx4C) is given.
Hopefully waiting for that.
2013-09-24 23:12:50
Tony
Tammy,
Are you selecting a very large area? Beyond a certain size it no longer shows in the name box. You can see it at the bottom right corner of the selected area as you continue to expand.
2013-09-23 16:07:23
Tammy
I am using Excel 2010 and do not see the total appearing in the name box. Do I need to turn on an option anywhere?
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: 
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