What is a Cell in Excel?

Last Updated : 04 Jun, 2024

MS-EXCEL is a part of Microsoft Office suite software. It is an electronic spreadsheet with multiple rows and columns, used for organizing data and performing different calculations. A spreadsheet takes the shape of a table, consisting of rows and columns. A cell is created at the intersection point where rows and columns meet, forming a rectangular box. In this article, we are going to discuss every point about Cell in Excel.

What is Cell in Excel?

The basic data storage unit in a spreadsheet is referred to as a cell. In a spreadsheet(Excel), it is the point where a row and a column meet. The address of a cell is the combination of the row number and column letter (e.g., A1, B2, C3) this helps with visual data organization and representation, you can also perform changes to the font style, size, colour, borders, and background colour of the cell.

The above image example is of a Cell with row = 3 ,column = B and Address of the cell which is B3. There are different kinds of data that can be contained in each cell some of them includes:

Text: This contains strings, it is composed of characters, numbers, and symbols.
Numbers: This contains numerical data and perform mathematical calculations as well.
Boolean values : We can add values which are either TRUE or FALSE.
We can perform operations using Formulas that perform calculations using the data in other cells.

How to Identify Cell Numbers?

A Cell number is referred to as cell references, usually identified by their column letter and row number. For example, "B3" refers to the cell in column B and row 3. In a Spreadsheets, cells are automatically labelled with their references. You can see the reference in the "Name Box" which is located near the top left corner of the sheet. To see the reference simply click on a cell and it will get displayed in the Name Box.

How to Enter Data into the Cell ?

Click on the cell where you want to enter data.
Type the data directly into the cell.
Press "Enter" to move to the next row or "Tab" to move to the next column.

How to Select Multiple Cells ?

Drag to Select: Click and hold the left mouse button on any cell, then drag the cursor till any cell you want.
Shift + Click: Click on any cell you want, hold on the "Shift" key, and then click on any cell of your desired range, this will help you select multiple cell.

How to Cut, Copy, and Paste the cell's data?

Cut: You can just right-click and choose "Cut" option that appears in the drop down menu or Click "Ctrl + X" to cut the cell.
Copy: You can just right-click and choose "Copy" option that appears in the drop down menu or Click "Ctrl + C" to copy the cell.
Paste: Just right-click and choose "Paste" option that appears in the drop down menu or Click "Ctrl + V" and paste the data in the desired cell.

Copy, Cut, Paste — Copy, Cut , Paste option appears after right-click any cell

How to Increase the Size of Cell?

You can increase the size of the cell column wise and row wise, to change the size of column called it Column width and to change the row size we called it as Row height.

Column Width: To increase the column width perform any of the two methods,
- Hover over the boundary line between two column headers (e.g., between F and G as shown in the fig. below) until you see a double-headed arrow, after the double-headed arrow appears, click and drag it, to adjust the column width .

Increase Size of Cell — Double-headed arrow in the column header appears and adjustment is done

You can also right-click on a row header and choose "Resize row" and enter the specific size you want.

Size of cell — Right Click on the column header and go to "Resize the Column" to make changes

Row Height: To increase the row height perform any of the two methods,
- Hover over the boundary line between two row numbers (e.g., between 2 and 3 as shown in the figure below) until you see a double-headed arrow, after the double-headed arrow appears, click and drag it, to adjust the row height .