Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, and 2013. 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

by Allen Wyatt
(last updated September 13, 2014)

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.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (9866) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, and 2013. 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

Printing Non-Printing Characters

Serious users of Word often display non-printing characters on-screen so they can see them easier. If you want those ...

Discover More

Columns in a Text Box

Want to divide a text box into columns? Word doesn't allow you to do this, but there are ways to work around the limitation.

Discover More

Full Path to Workbook

Need to get the full path of your current workbook into the Clipboard? Excel doesn't make it quite as easy as it used to be, ...

Discover More

Program Successfully in Excel! John Walkenbach's name is synonymous with excellence in deciphering complex technical topics. With this comprehensive guide, "Mr. Spreadsheet" shows how to maximize your Excel experience using professional spreadsheet application development tips from his own personal bookshelf. Check out Excel 2013 Power Programming with VBA today!

More ExcelTips (ribbon)

Understanding Cell Indenting

Formatting a cell could, if you desire, also include the indentation of information within the cell. This tip examines what ...

Discover More

Maintaining Text Formatting in a Lookup

Want to maintain the formatting used in one cell when you use formulas to reference that text in another cell? The answer is ...

Discover More

Number Formatting Shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts can save time and make developing a workbook much easier. Here's how to apply the most common of Excel's ...

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}] in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. 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 five less than 5?

2015-09-22 16:02:51

Peter Straton

1. It would be helpful to inform your readers that if they want to find/replace only one format dimension (e.g. only number formatting) they must go to all other tabs on the Find Format dialog and click the [Clear] button for that formatting dimension, to remove it from the find/replace conditions.

2. I'm not seeing any difference between these instructions for Microsoft Excel versions 2007, 2010, and 2013 and the instructions for Microsoft Excel versions 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003 on the page http://excel.tips.net/T009865_Replacing_Cell_Formats.html.

Why the different page?

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 AUTHORS
OUR SITES
 

Copyright © 2017 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.