How to Add Apostrophe in Excel

Welcome to this quick tutorial on how to add an apostrophe in Microsoft Excel. Whether you are looking to enter numerical values as text or simply want to display a string of text that begins with a number, using an apostrophe is an easy and effective solution. In this post, we will guide you through the simple steps of adding an apostrophe to your Excel cells, without any complicated formulas or functions. By the end of this post, you will have a clear understanding of how to use apostrophes effectively in Excel.

Why use apostrophes in Excel?

Before we dive into the steps of how to add apostrophes in Excel, let’s take a quick look at why you might need to use them. Simply put, an apostrophe can turn any numerical value into text. For instance, the number 123 can be converted into ‘123 by adding an apostrophe before it. This is especially useful when you want to display credit card numbers, phone numbers or zip codes as part of a string of text.

How to add an apostrophe in Excel – Step by step guide

Step 1: Open Excel and Select a cell

Firstly, open Excel and select the cell where you want to add an apostrophe. Press F2 on your keyboard or double click on the cell to activate the edit mode.

Step 2: Add the Apostrophe

Next, type an apostrophe (‘) into the cell or before the number you want to display as text.

Step 3: Press Enter

Finally, press enter on your keyboard. The apostrophe will disappear but the numerical value will be displayed in your cell as text, with no space between the apostrophe and the number.

How to use multiple apostrophes in Excel

If you have a set of numerical values that you want to display as text, you can use the following steps to add apostrophes to multiple cells at once:

Step 1: Select the range of cells that you want to add apostrophes to

You can use your mouse or keyboard to select the range of cells that contain the numerical values you want to convert. Click and drag your cursor or use Shift + click to select multiple cells.

Step 2: Add the Apostrophe symbol

Type an apostrophe (‘) followed by a space into the first cell of the range.

Step 3: Use the Fill Handle to copy the formula.

Click and drag the Fill handle located at the bottom right corner of the cell to populate the rest of the cells in the selected range with apostrophes and your numeric values.

Congratulations! You now know how to use apostrophes in Excel. Whether you need to display credit card numbers, phone numbers, or zip codes as part of a string of text, adding an apostrophe is a quick and easy solution. Happy Exceling!

When to avoid using apostrophes in Excel

While apostrophes are a handy tool for displaying numerical values as text, they may also cause issues if not used correctly. For instance, adding an apostrophe to a cell containing a date or time can prevent Excel from recognizing it as a valid date or time format. Additionally, using an apostrophe can turn off Excel’s arithmetic abilities, making it more difficult to perform calculations on your data. Therefore, it’s essential to use apostrophes moderately and only when necessary.

Using Excel’s Format Cells functionality for better text display

If you want to display numeric values as text, using the apostrophe is a quick and easy solution, but it has its limitations. A better way to format cells is by using Excel’s Format Cells functionality. This option allows you to set up a particular format for your cells, including how it displays dates, times, currency, or accounting values. To use Format Cells to format a cell as text, follow these steps:

Step 1: Select the cell or range of cells that you want to format as text.

Open Excel, select the cell or range of cells that you want to format and click on the “Home” tab in the Excel ribbon.

Step 2: Access the “Format Cells” dialog box.

Click on the “Number” group of commands in the ribbon and select “Format Cells” from the drop-down menu.

Step 3: Set the data format as “Text.”

In the Format Cells dialog box, select “Text” from the list of formats under the “Category” label. You can also choose other options for decimals, negative numbers, and alignment.

Step 4: Apply the new formatting.

Click the “OK” button to apply the new formatting to your cell or range of cells. The cells will now display your numeric values as text, without apostrophes.

Adding an apostrophe in Excel is an easy and efficient way to display numeric values as text. However, when using apostrophes, it’s important to be mindful of their limitations and avoid using them inappropriately. By using Excel’s “Format Cells” functionality, you can format your cells correctly to display text in the most effective manner possible. Keep these tips in mind when using apostrophes or formatting cells in Excel to improve your data entry and calculation efficiency.

FAQs

Here are some FAQs related to adding apostrophes in Excel:

1. Will adding an apostrophe before a number make it appear as text in all Excel versions?

Yes, adding an apostrophe before a number is a universal solution that can be used in all versions of Excel and works across all devices.

2. Can I use an apostrophe to display data labels in a chart?

Yes, you can use an apostrophe to display data labels in a chart. Select the series and its data labels and add an apostrophe to the beginning of each number as you enter it. The numbers will now appear as text in the chart.

3. How can I tell if a cell is formatted as text without an apostrophe?

If you want to check if a cell is formatted as text, go to the “Home” tab and look in the “Number” group of commands. If there is an apostrophe before the number, it is formatted as text. If not, click on the cell and look in the formula bar to see if there is an apostrophe.

4. Can I use the format painter in Excel to apply apostrophes to multiple cells?

Yes, you can use the format painter to apply apostrophes to multiple cells. Click on the cell that already has an apostrophe, select the “Format Painter” button in the “Clipboard” group of commands, and then click on the cells you want to format as text.

5. Can I use an apostrophe to format data as currency or percentages?

No, you cannot use an apostrophe to format data as currency or percentages because it will cause the cell to be treated as text and not as numeric data. However, you can use the “Format Cells” dialog box to format cells as currency or percentages without the use of apostrophes.