Excel Formula is not Auto Calculating? Here’s what to do

Some wrong configuration might create this issue

3 min. read

Updated onOctober 4, 2023

updated onOctober 4, 2023

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Key notes

Excel is essentially one big calculator that can also display numerical data in the form of spreadsheet tables and graphs. Formulas (or functions) are the cornerstone ofExcelthat perform a multitude of calculations and display them within spreadsheet cells.

Excel’s formulas make it one of the most essentialMS Officeapplications.

However, sometimes Excel might not always calculate formulas automatically. When that happens, the formulas don’t automatically update when users change the values they’re based on.

Alternatively, sometimes Excel might just display the formulas within cells instead of their results. If either of those scenarios sounds familiar, check out some of the resolutions for them below.

What can I do if an Excel spreadsheet is not auto calculating?

1. Select the Automatic Calculation option

2. Turn off Show Formulas

If an Excel spreadsheet displays all its formulas within cells, theShow Formulasoption is probably enabled. To disable that option, click the Formulas tab in Excel. Then click theShow Formulasbutton on that tab.

You can also press theCtrl + `hotkeyto toggle the Show Formulas button off/on.

3. Check the cell format for formulas

Excel will also display formulas instead of calculated output in cells when the cells have a text format. To check if that’s the case, select a spreadsheetcellthat’s displaying a formula.

You might see Text in the format drop-down menu shown in the snapshot directly below. SelectGeneralon the drop-down menu. Then thecellwill display calculated output when you click within the formula bar (with thecellselected) and press the Return key.

4. Check you’ve entered the formulas correctly

Excel won’t automatically calculate formulas when theyhaven’t been entered correctly. One of the things hardest to spot is a space in the formula just ahead of the equals (=).

When there’s a space right at the beginning of the formula, itscellwill display the function instead of a result for it. So, make sure there aren’t any spaces at the start of functions. If the formula contains spaces anywhere else, Excel will display #Name? in itscell.

So, that’s how you can fix an Excel spreadsheet that doesn’t automatically calculate its formulas. Thereafter, the spreadsheet’s cells will automatically display the results for formulas as expected.

For any other questions or suggestions, feel free to reach for the comments section below.

Excel Formula is not Auto Calculating? Here’s what to do#

What can I do if an Excel spreadsheet is not auto calculating?#

1. Select the Automatic Calculation option#

2. Turn off Show Formulas#

3. Check the cell format for formulas#

4. Check you’ve entered the formulas correctly#