Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. 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: Replacing Cell Formats.

Replacing Cell Formats

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated January 27, 2025)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021

1

David needs to find and change every occurrence of a specific cell format in a multi-worksheet workbook. For example, he may need to find all cells that are formatted as Currency and change that format to General. He wonders how to accomplish the task.

The easiest way to go about this task is to use Excel's Find and Replace tool to make the change. Follow these steps:

  1. Press Ctrl+H. Excel displays the Replace tab of the Find and Replace dialog box.
  2. Click the Options button, if necessary, to enlarge the dialog box. (See Figure 1.)

    3. Figure 1. The Replace tab of the Find and Replace dialog box.

  3. Click the Format button to the right of Find What line. Excel displays the Find Format dialog box.
  4. Make sure the Number tab is displayed. (See Figure 2.)

    5. Figure 2. The Number tab of the Find Format dialog box.

  5. Use the controls in the dialog box to specify the format you want to find.
  6. Click OK to close the Find Font dialog box.
  7. Click the Format button to the right of Replace With line. Excel displays the Replace Format dialog box.
  8. Make sure the Number tab is displayed.
  9. Use the controls in the dialog box to specify the format you want to use as your replacement.
  10. Click OK to close the Replace Font dialog box.
  11. Use the Within drop-down list to choose Workbook.
  12. Click Replace All.

Note:

If you would like to know how to use the macros described on this page (or on any other page on the ExcelTips sites), I've prepared a special page that includes helpful information. Click here to open that special page in a new browser tab.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (9866) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Replacing Cell Formats.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Skipping Rows when Filling

Using the fill handle is a great way to quickly fill a range of cells with values. Sometimes, however, the way to fill ...

Discover More

Pulling All Fridays

It can be handy to know when specific weekdays occur within a range of dates. Figuring out this information, using ...

Discover More

Inserting Different Dashes

Dashes have a lot of different uses in writing. Word supports three types of dashes, as discussed in this tip.

Discover More

Program Successfully in Excel! This guide will provide you with all the information you need to automate any task in Excel and save time and effort. Learn how to extend Excel's functionality with VBA to create solutions not possible with the standard features. Includes latest information for Excel 2024 and Microsoft 365. Check out Mastering Excel VBA Programming today!

More ExcelTips (ribbon)

Indenting Cell Contents

Excel allows you to apply several types of alignments to cells. One type of alignment allows you to indent cell contents ...

Discover More

Leaving Leading Zeros in Place

There are some numbers that require leading zeros, such as ZIP Codes. Excel provides several different ways that you can ...

Discover More

Using Fractional Number Formats

If you want information to display on the screen using fractions instead of decimals, you're in luck. Excel provides ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is six minus 1?

2025-01-27 11:02:11

MarkB

Does it only work with Numbers? I tried going to the Fill section, copying from cell, and replacing a cell with both the fill option displayed. All it did was crash Excel.

This Site

Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.

Links and Sharing
OUR COMPANY
OUR PRODUCTS
OUR SITES
 

Copyright © 2026 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.