Cell shading (fill color) makes Excel spreadsheets easier to read: header rows stand out, totals are easy to find, and important values catch the eye. Excel 2010 offers a quick Fill Color button, a Format Cells dialog with patterns and gradients, and conditional formatting for automatic shading. These steps also work in newer versions of Excel.
Quick Answer
Select the cells, go to the Home tab, click the arrow next to the Fill Color button (the paint bucket), and pick a color. To remove shading, choose No Fill.
Method 1: Fill Color Button
- Select the cell or range. Click a row or column header to shade a whole row or column.
- On the Home tab, in the Font group, click the arrow next to Fill Color.
- Hover over colors to preview, then click one. Choose More Colors for custom shades.
The button remembers your last color, so you can click the bucket itself to apply it again.
Method 2: Format Cells for Patterns and Gradients
- Select the cells and press Ctrl + 1 (or right-click > Format Cells).
- Open the Fill tab.
- Pick a Background Color, or choose a Pattern Color and Pattern Style (such as stripes or dots).
- Click Fill Effects to create a two-color gradient.
- Click OK.
Method 3: Cell Styles
On Home > Cell Styles, choose a preset like Good, Bad, Neutral, Heading, or Accent styles. These apply matching fill and font colors in one click and follow your workbook’s theme.
Method 4: Shade Cells Automatically with Conditional Formatting
- Select the range.
- Go to Home > Conditional Formatting > Highlight Cells Rules and choose a rule, such as Greater Than.
- Enter the value and pick a format (for example, Light Red Fill), then click OK.
Shading updates automatically as values change. Use Color Scales for heat-map style shading.
Shade Every Other Row
Select your data and press Ctrl + T to format it as a table with Banded Rows, or use conditional formatting with the formula =MOD(ROW(),2)=0.
Remove Cell Shading
- Manual fill: select the cells and choose Fill Color > No Fill.
- Conditional formatting: Home > Conditional Formatting > Clear Rules > Clear Rules from Selected Cells.
- Everything: Home > Clear > Clear Formats removes all formatting from the selection.
Tips
- Use light shades so text stays readable, and keep colors consistent (for example, one color for headers, another for totals).
- Remember some readers are colorblind; add bold text or icons for critical information.
- Shading prints in color or gray; check File > Print preview.
Using a newer version? See how to fill a cell with color in Excel 2013.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why won’t the fill color change?
Conditional formatting may be overriding it, or the sheet may be protected. Check both.
Can I copy shading to other cells?
Yes. Use the Format Painter on the Home tab.
Summary
- Select cells and use Home > Fill Color.
- Use Format Cells > Fill for patterns and gradients.
- Use Cell Styles or conditional formatting for consistent or automatic shading.
- Choose No Fill or clear rules to remove shading.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
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