In Excel, a percentage is just a number with Percentage formatting: 35% is stored as 0.35. So “removing the percentage” can mean two different things: showing the underlying decimal (0.35), or turning 35% into the whole number 35. This guide covers both in Excel 2013 and newer versions, plus how to strip a percent sign that was typed as text.
Quick Answer
Select the cells, go to Home, open the Number Format dropdown in the Number group, and choose General (or press Ctrl + Shift + ~). 35% becomes 0.35. To get 35 instead, type 100 in an empty cell, copy it, select the percentage cells, and use Paste Special > Multiply, then set the format to General.
Method 1: Change the Format to General or Number
- Select the cells (or the whole column) with percentages.
- On the Home tab, click the Number Format box in the Number group (it currently says Percentage).
- Choose General, or Number if you want a fixed number of decimal places.
Shortcut: Ctrl + Shift + ~ applies General format. The values now appear as decimals (0.35, 0.2, and so on).
Method 2: Convert 35% to 35
If you want whole numbers without the percent sign:
- Type 100 in an empty cell and copy it (Ctrl + C).
- Select the percentage cells.
- Right-click and choose Paste Special (or press Ctrl + Alt + V).
- Under Operation, select Multiply and click OK.
- Change the format to General or Number. Delete the helper cell with 100.
Formula alternative: in a new column, enter =B2*100 and fill down. Copy the results and use Paste Special > Values if you want to replace the originals.
Method 3: Format Cells Dialog
- Select the cells and press Ctrl + 1.
- On the Number tab, choose General or Number, set decimal places, and click OK.
Remove a Percent Sign Stored as Text
If the cells are left-aligned or have a green triangle, the “%” may be typed text (common after importing data):
- Select the cells and press Ctrl + H.
- Type % in Find what, leave Replace with empty, and click Replace All.
- If the results are still text, select them, click the warning icon, and choose Convert to Number.
Or use a formula: =VALUE(SUBSTITUTE(B2,"%","")) returns 35 as a number.
Seeing fewer digits than expected? See why Excel shows only two decimal places.
Troubleshooting
- Numbers become 3500%: you applied Percentage to numbers that were already whole numbers. Change the format to General, or divide by 100 with Paste Special > Divide.
- Formulas break after converting: formulas expecting 0.35 will give results 100 times larger after you multiply by 100. Update the formulas or keep the decimal values.
- Format keeps coming back: check for conditional formatting or a Table style, and clear formats with Home > Clear > Clear Formats.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Excel show 0.35 instead of 35?
Because 35% means 35 hundredths. Multiply by 100 if you need 35.
Is this the same in newer Excel versions?
Yes. The steps work the same in Excel 2016, 2019, 2021, and Microsoft 365.
Summary
- Select the cells and choose General in the Number Format box to show decimals.
- Multiply by 100 with Paste Special to turn 35% into 35.
- Use Find and Replace to remove typed % signs.
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.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.