How to Make Negative Numbers Red in Excel

If you work with financial data or any set of numerical information in Excel, you know that negative numbers often indicate losses, expenses or other unfavorable results. In order to make those numbers stand out and draw attention to them, you can set them to display in red color. This is a simple formatting trick that can make reports, budgets, or other documents more visually effective.

Introduction

To make negative numbers red in Excel, you don’t need any advanced knowledge of the software. By setting up conditional formatting, Excel can automatically display numbers in red if they are below zero. This article will show you how to make that happen, step-by-step.

Step 1: Select the range you want to format

First, you need to select the cells or range that you want to format. You can do this by highlighting the cells with your mouse or pressing Ctrl+A to select the entire worksheet. For this example, we’ll format cells A1 to A10.

Step 2: Open the Conditional Formatting dialog box

On the Home tab of the Excel ribbon, click on the Conditional Formatting button and select “New Rule…”.

Step 2a: Choose the rule type

In the New Formatting Rule dialog box, click on “Format only cells that contain”.

Step 2b: Set the rule parameters

In the next box, change “Cell Value” to “Less than” and type “0” in the value field. Then, click on the “Format” button to open the Format Cells dialog box.

Step 3: Set the font color to red

With the Format Cells dialog box open, select the “Font” tab and choose the color red. Click “OK” to return to the New Formatting Rule dialog box. You can preview how your selection will look by clicking the “Preview” button.

Step 4: Finalize the rule

Click “OK” to close the Format Cells dialog box, then “OK” again to apply the formatting rule. Your selected range will now display numbers in red if they are negative.

Conditional formatting is one of the most useful features in Excel, allowing you to automatically apply formatting based on certain conditions. Now that you know how to make negative numbers red, you can add visual impact to your spreadsheets and draw attention to important data. Try it out and see how it works for you!

Useful Excel tips

Now that you know how to make negative numbers red in Excel, it’s worth exploring other ways to format your numerical data. Here are some useful tips you can apply to your spreadsheets:

Apply formatting to whole columns or rows

If you want to apply conditional formatting to an entire column or row instead of selected cells, simply click on the column or row letter/number to select it, then follow the same steps described in this article.

Copy and paste formatting rules

If you need to apply the same formatting rule to multiple ranges in your worksheet, save time by copying and pasting the formatting rule. Simply click on the cell that includes the rule you want to copy, then press “Ctrl + C”. Highlight the range you want to apply the rule to, right-click and select “Paste Special”, then choose the “Format” option.

Create custom formatting rules

Excel includes an extensive range of pre-formatted rules for conditional formatting, but you can also create custom rules to suit your specific needs. For example, you could create a rule that highlights any cell with a value between -10 and 10. To create a custom rule, select the “Use a formula to determine which cells to format” option in the New Formatting Rule dialog box, then enter your desired formula.

Formatting data in Excel can go a long way toward making your documents more readable, informative, and visually appealing. Now that you know how to make negative numbers red in Excel, you’re on your way to creating more effective spreadsheets. Make the most of Excel’s powerful formatting tools and see how much easier it can be to work with complex data.

FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions about formatting negative numbers in Excel:

Can I edit the default color of negative numbers in Excel?

Yes, you can. By default, negative numbers in Excel display in red color, but you can change this to another color or even a custom format. Go to “File” > “Options” > “Advanced”, then scroll down to “When calculating this workbook”. Here, you can change the default format for negative numbers.

How do I format positive numbers in a different color?

You can apply the same conditional formatting to positive numbers by selecting “Greater than” instead of “Less than” in the New Formatting Rule dialog box. Then, follow the same steps for selecting the formatting style you want.

Can I apply this formatting rule to text or dates?

Yes, you can. The conditional formatting in Excel works with any type of data, not just numerical values. Simply select the cells you want to format, then choose a formatting rule that applies to your specific data type.

Can I preview the formatting rule before applying it?

Yes, you can. In the New Formatting Rule dialog box, there is a Preview box that shows you how your formatting will look based on the parameters you set. Use this preview to test out different formatting styles and see which one works best for your data.

How do I remove a formatting rule from a cell or range?

To remove a formatting rule from a cell or range, select the cell or range, then go to “Home” > “Conditional Formatting” > “Clear Rules” > “Clear Rules from Selected Cells”. This will remove all conditional formatting rules applied to the selected range.