To show formulas in Excel, go to the Formulas tab and select Show Formulas, or press Ctrl and the grave accent key (`), usually found above Tab. Every cell then shows its formula instead of its result; press the same keys again to switch back.
A total on your stock sheet looks wrong, and you can't tell which cells are typed numbers and which are calculations. Showing the formulas answers that in one keystroke. The whole sheet switches from results to the formulas behind them, so you can scan down a column and spot the cell where someone typed over a formula with a fixed number.
Two ways to switch on formula view
| Method | How | Where it works |
|---|---|---|
| Ribbon button | Formulas tab, Show Formulas | Excel desktop |
| Keyboard | Ctrl+` (grave accent) | Excel desktop |
| One cell only | Click the cell and read the formula bar | Everywhere, including the web |
- Open the sheet and go to the Formulas tab.
- In the Formula Auditing group, select Show Formulas.
- Columns widen and every formula appears in its cell. Plain typed values don't change.
- Select Show Formulas again, or press Ctrl+`, to go back to normal.
Microsoft describes the grave accent key as the one usually next to the 1 key in the top left of the keyboard. If you can't find it, the ribbon button does the same thing.
It's all or nothing for the sheet
This catches people out. Show Formulas works on the whole sheet, not individual cells. There's no option to reveal the formula in just one cell, apart from clicking that cell and reading the formula bar at the top. If you want to see one formula next to its result, copy the sheet, switch on Show Formulas in the copy, and put the two windows side by side.
The setting is also per sheet. Switch it on in your Orders tab and the Stock tab still shows results. That's useful when you only want to audit one tab, but it also means you'll need to switch it off on that same tab before you send the file, or the person opening it will see a wall of formulas and wonder what's gone wrong.
Printing your formulas
Microsoft points out that formulas don't print by default; the printout shows results only. To print them, switch on Show Formulas first and then print as normal. It's a handy way to hand someone a paper record of how a sheet works, or to keep a copy before you change a template.
Excel for the web is different. Microsoft says the formula bar shows the formula while the cells show results, and to switch formulas on in cells and print them you'll need to open the file in the Excel desktop app.
When a formula won't show at all
If you click a cell and the formula bar is empty even though the cell clearly calculates, the formula has been hidden on purpose. Microsoft explains how that's done: the cell's Hidden box is ticked on the Protection tab of Format Cells, and the sheet is protected.
To bring it back, go to Review and select Unprotect Sheet. If the sheet has a password, you'll need it from whoever set it up. Microsoft adds that if Unprotect Sheet is greyed out, the old Shared Workbook feature may be switched on and needs turning off first. Once the sheet's unprotected, untick Hidden in Format Cells if you don't want the formula hidden again.
Hiding formulas before you share a sheet
Going the other way can be useful too. If you send a client a calculator-style sheet and don't want them editing the logic, select those cells, open Format Cells with Ctrl+1, tick Hidden on the Protection tab, then use Review, Protect Sheet. Microsoft notes this also stops those cells being edited, which is usually what you want.
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It isn't serious security, though. It keeps honest people from breaking things; it won't protect anything you'd mind leaking.
What to look for once formulas are showing
- Typed numbers in a column of formulas. One cell with 7 instead of =B4*C4 is the classic reason a total is off.
- References pointing at the wrong row. A formula in row 6 that refers to row 5 often means a row was inserted.
- Division errors. If you see a divide-by-zero error when you switch back, my guide to dividing in Excel explains the fix.
- Links to other files. Formulas with square brackets point at another workbook that may have moved.
I'd also use F2 on any cell you're unsure about. It opens the cell for editing and colours each referenced range, so you can see exactly which cells feed the result. Once you've checked your formulas, my guide to locking cells in Excel stops anyone typing over them by accident, which is the most common way a good sheet goes wrong.
The short version from me
Press Ctrl+` or use Formulas, Show Formulas, scan for typed numbers sitting among calculations, then press it again. If a formula won't show even in the formula bar, the sheet's protected and the cell is set to hidden. It's the first thing I check whenever a spreadsheet number doesn't add up.
Frequently asked questions
What is the shortcut to show formulas in Excel?
Press Ctrl and the grave accent key (`). Press it again to go back to results.
Can I show the formula in just one cell?
Not with Show Formulas, which applies to the whole sheet. Click the cell and read the formula bar instead.
How do I print formulas in Excel?
Switch on Show Formulas first, then print as usual. Formulas don't print by default.
Why can't I see a formula in the formula bar?
The cell is probably set to Hidden and the sheet is protected. Unprotect it from the Review tab.
Does Show Formulas work in Excel for the web?
The formula bar shows formulas on the web, but to show them in cells and print them, open the file in the desktop app.
