How to Multiply in Excel: Cells, Columns and the PRODUCT Function

There's no Multiply button anywhere on Excel's ribbon, which surprises a lot of people the first time they go looking. Multiplying is done with a tiny formula and one symbol, the asterisk. Once you've done it twice, it's quicker than reaching for a calculator.

Below I'll cover multiplying two numbers, multiplying one column by another, multiplying a whole column by a single fixed number (the bit that trips most people up), and the PRODUCT function for when you've got lots of cells to multiply together.

Multiplying numbers in one Excel cell

Microsoft's help page starts with the rule every formula follows: it begins with an equal sign. For multiplication, you add the asterisk between the numbers.

1. Click an empty cell.
2. Type =5*10.
3. Press Enter.

The cell shows 50, the answer Microsoft's own example gives. Click the cell again and you'll see the formula in the formula bar at the top, while the cell itself keeps showing the result.

Forget the equal sign and Excel just stores "5*10" as text. That's the most common reason a multiplication "doesn't work".

Multiplying two Excel cells together

Typing numbers into the formula works, but pointing at cells is far more useful because the answer updates when the numbers change.

1. Put your numbers in two cells, say a quantity in A2 and a unit amount in B2.
2. Click C2 and type =.
3. Click A2, type *, then click B2.
4. Press Enter.

C2 now holds =A2*B2. To repeat it for every row, select C2 and double-click the small green square in its bottom-right corner. Microsoft's help describes this as the fast way to copy a formula down a column, and Excel adjusts it to =A3*B3, =A4*B4 and so on.

Multiplying an Excel column by the same number

This is where people get stuck. Say every value in column A needs multiplying by a fixed number in C2, such as a conversion rate or a markup. Microsoft's example multiplies column A by 3 in C2, and =A2*C2 gives the right answer, 4500, in B2.

The trouble comes when you copy it down. Microsoft explains that C2 shifts to C3, C4 and so on, and because those cells are empty, the results in B3 through B6 all come out as zero.

Locking the fixed cell with F4

The fix is to make C2 an absolute reference, so it always points at the same cell.

1. Click B2 and type =.
2. Click A2, then type *.
3. Click C2.
4. With the cursor still next to C2 in the formula, press F4. Excel adds symbols before the C and the 2 to lock the reference.
5. Press Enter, then double-click the green square to fill the column.

Every row now multiplies its own A value by the one fixed number in C2. Change C2 and the whole column recalculates, which is handy for testing different rates.

Using the PRODUCT function to multiply in Excel

When you've got lots of cells to multiply, typing asterisks between each one gets tedious. PRODUCT does the same job with a list or a range.

Formula	Does the same as
=PRODUCT(A1, A2)	=A1 * A2
=PRODUCT(A1:A3, C1:C3)	=A1 * A2 * A3 * C1 * C2 * C3

Microsoft says PRODUCT accepts up to 255 arguments, and it quietly ignores empty cells, text and TRUE or FALSE values in a range. That's useful, but it can also hide a mistake: if a cell you expected to hold a number is blank, PRODUCT carries on without it rather than returning zero.

Multiplying and adding in one Excel formula

Excel follows normal maths order, so multiplication happens before addition. =A2*B2+C2 multiplies first, then adds C2. If you want the addition first, wrap it in brackets: =A2*(B2+C2).

A typical use is an order sheet: quantity times unit amount, plus a delivery line. Once you've worked out each row, adding the column is the next step, and my guide on totalling a column in Excel picks up from there.

Multiplying in Excel for small business sheets

Here's where I see multiplication pull its weight for side-hustlers and small teams:

• Order sheets: quantity in one column, unit amount in the next, a multiply column at the end.
• Time sheets: hours worked multiplied by an hourly rate held in one locked cell.
• Stock lists: units per box multiplied by the number of boxes.
• Content planning: posts per week multiplied by the number of weeks in a campaign.

If part of your team works in Google's apps, the same asterisk formulas work there too, and adding up a range in Google Sheets follows the same pattern as Excel.

Multiplying in Excel for Mac and Excel for the web

The good news is that none of this changes between versions. Microsoft's PRODUCT help page applies to Excel for Mac as well as Windows, and the asterisk works the same everywhere because it's part of the formula, not a menu. The one thing to watch on a Mac keyboard is the F4 key: on many laptops the top row controls brightness and volume first, so you may need to hold the Fn key while pressing F4 to lock a reference.

On a phone or tablet, typing the asterisk usually means switching to the symbols keyboard. I'd build anything complicated on a computer and use the mobile app to check results.

If your Excel multiplication shows the wrong answer

• You see the formula, not the result: the cell may be formatted as Text. Change it to General and re-enter the formula.
• Zeros down the column: the fixed cell wasn't locked. Edit the formula and press F4 on that reference.
• Unexpected totals: check the order of operations and add brackets where needed.
• A result that looks rounded: the cell's number format may be hiding decimals. Widen the column or increase the decimal places.

Frequently asked questions

What's the multiply symbol in Excel?

It's the asterisk (*). Type an equal sign first, for example =5*10, and Excel shows the result, 50.

How do I multiply a whole column by one number in Excel?

Write =A2*C2, then press F4 with the cursor on C2 to lock it as an absolute reference. Copy the formula down and every row uses the same fixed number.

Is there a MULTIPLY function in Excel?

No, but there's PRODUCT, which multiplies all the numbers and ranges you give it. =PRODUCT(A1, A2) is the same as =A1*A2.

Why does my multiplication copy down as zeros?

Microsoft explains that the reference to the fixed cell moves as you copy, landing on empty cells. Lock it with F4 so it stays put.

Can I multiply and add in the same formula?

Yes. Excel multiplies before it adds, so use brackets if you want the addition done first, like =A2*(B2+C2).