If Excel shows your formulas instead of their results, Show Formulas is probably turned on. Press Ctrl + ` (the grave accent key, usually above Tab) or click Formulas > Show Formulas to turn it off. If only certain cells show a formula like =A1+B1, those cells are formatted as Text. Change them to General on the Home tab, then click in each cell, press F2, and press Enter.
Fix 1: Turn off Show Formulas
This affects the whole worksheet. Every cell with a formula shows the formula, and columns look wider.
- Press Ctrl + ` (Control + ` on a Mac), or
- Click the Formulas tab and click Show Formulas so it’s no longer highlighted.
Fix 2: Change the cell format from Text
- Select the cells that show formulas.
- On the Home tab, open the Number Format drop-down and choose General.
- Click in each cell, press F2, then Enter to re-enter the formula.
For many cells at once, select the column, then use Data > Text to Columns > Finish. This makes Excel re-evaluate the entries.
Fix 3: Remove a leading space or apostrophe
A formula must start with =. If there’s a space or an apostrophe (‘) before it, Excel treats it as text. Click the cell, look in the formula bar, delete the extra character, and press Enter.
Formulas show old results instead?
If formulas show a result but it doesn’t update when you change the numbers, calculation is set to manual.
- Click Formulas > Calculation Options.
- Choose Automatic.
Press F9 to recalculate right away.
Other causes
- Imported data: Data from CSV files or other programs may come in as text. Use Text to Columns or Fix 2.
- Formula typed with smart quotes or a different character: Retype the formula directly in Excel.
- Protected sheet: Some protected sheets hide results. Check Review > Unprotect Sheet if you have permission.
Frequently asked questions
Why did my formulas suddenly appear?
You likely pressed Ctrl + ` by accident. Press it again to switch back.
How do I show one formula without showing all of them?
Click the cell and look in the formula bar, or use =FORMULATEXT(A1) in another cell.
Does this happen in Excel for the web?
Yes. In Excel for the web, go to Formulas > Show Formulas, and check the number format the same way.
Why does Excel show #NAME? instead of a result?
That means Excel doesn’t recognize something in the formula, usually a misspelled function name or text missing quotation marks.
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.