Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Office 365. 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: Cell Address of a Maximum Value.
Barry has a worksheet with several thousand rows. They are unsorted and must remain unsorted. He can use the MAX function on the column and get the maximum value in that column. However, he also wants to know the address of the first cell in the column that contains this maximum value.
There are a number of ways that you can determine the address of the maximum value. One way is to use the ADDRESS function in conjunction with the MAX function, in the following manner:
=ADDRESS(MATCH(MAX(A:A),A:A,0),1,4)
The MATCH function is used to find where in the range (column A) the maximum value resides, and then the ADDRESS function returns the address of that location. A shorter version of the macro leaves off the ADDRESS function, instead being "hardwired" to return an address in column A:
="A"&MATCH(MAX(A:A),A:A,0)
Still another way to get the desired address is with a formula such as this:
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Office 365. 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: 
=CELL("ADDRESS",INDEX(A:A,MATCH(MAX(A:A),A:A,0)))
This formula uses the CELL function, in conjunction with INDEX, to return the address of the cell that matches the maximum value in the column.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (11441) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Office 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Cell Address of a Maximum Value.
Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 2013 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Access) with VBA programming, using it for writing macros, automating Office applications, and creating custom applications. Check out Mastering VBA for Office 2013 today!
Part numbers can often be long, made up of other component elements. Breaking up part numbers into individual components ...
Discover MoreRemember your number line from your early years in school? Some numbers can be below zero (negative numbers) and others ...
Discover MoreGot a list of data from which you want to delete duplicates? There are a couple of techniques you can use to get rid of ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2016-03-16 15:55:53
John
@Michael (Micky) Avidan,
I very much appreciate your comments and tips and look forward to your astute tips / comments.
I just tried the link: http://screenpresso.com/=PYQ2f , and it no longer works on screenpresso.com .
It returns the message: "Oups, this address is not available or not valid!"
I don't believe the non-availability of the link is related to Mr. Wyatt's website.
2016-03-15 09:03:55
Michael (Micky) Avidan
@MIchael Armstrong,
Sorry about that.
I wil ask Mr. Wyatt for a small space, on his servers, in order for my linked picture to last "for ever".
--------------------------
Michael (Micky) Avidan
“Microsoft® Answers" - Wiki author & Forums Moderator
“Microsoft®” MVP – Excel (2009-2016)
ISRAEL
2016-03-14 08:03:48
MIchael Armstrong
@Micky, your link no longer works.
2016-03-13 13:39:54
Allen,
I am by no means a Ninja, but when I have to use excel I do need to locate those power user attributes from my great brain.
I have struggled with pin pointing the cell with the max value now for a while, and you are the first to even explain it.
Now that I have this, I need to find the values in ascending order, from lowest to highest
2015-10-27 05:44:45
Michael (Micky) Avidan
@clas henrik ericsson,
Does the linked picture answer your question ?
http://screenpresso.com/=PYQ2f
--------------------------
Michael (Micky) Avidan
“Microsoft® Answers" - Wiki author & Forums Moderator
“Microsoft®” MVP – Excel (2009-2016)
ISRAEL
2015-10-26 10:33:32
clas henrik ericsson
As William I also want to use the "max adress" and "Min adress" to define a range. This because my data , number of rows are large. I simply want to reduce the "lookup range" amount of unsorted and continuing changed data in order to reduce time to recalculate values/formulas. How do I do to avoid functions as Index to only recalculate within a given range? Or in other words, I firstly define a range (Define Name dynamically)and my formula stick always to this defined range until it is changed for one or another reason. (perhaps because one row have been added/deleted or the sheet have be sorted in another sortorder)
2015-10-24 10:28:14
Larry Mayerhofer
The INDIRECT function allows you to build a formula using text, column letters or row numbers. In this instance all you need to do is wrap the INDIRECT function around the ADDRESS function: =INDIRECT(ADDRESS(MATCH(MAX(A:A),A:A,0),1,4))
2015-10-24 10:12:51
William
OK. The tip works great for finding the address and placing it as text in a cell. But now I want to use this address in a formula but don;t know how.
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.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2021 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments