How To Alternate Row Colors in Excel
Sep 10, 2024
Do your eyes ever get lost while navigating rows of data in Excel?
Alternating row colors can make your spreadsheets easier to read and more professional. This simple formatting trick adds visual appeal and helps you quickly scan and analyze your data. Let's show you how to alternate rows in Excel in just a few steps.
Method 1: Alternating Row Colors by Applying Built-in Table Style
The built-in table styles offer a quick and easy way to add alternating colors with just a few clicks. It is perfect for those who prefer a fast solution. Here's how to add color to every other row:
1. Select the range of cells you want to format (or the entire table).
2. Go to the "Home" tab on the Ribbon.
3. Click "Format as Table" and choose a style with alternating row colors from the table styles gallery.
4. Your selected range will now have banded rows.
Method 2: Alternating Row Colors With Conditional Formatting
With the conditional formatting rule, you can add alternate row shading to your Excel table. Conditional formatting provides more customization options, allowing you to create a unique color pattern that fits your needs.
1. Open your Excel file and select the range of cells you want to format.
2. Go to the "Home" tab on the Ribbon and click "Conditional Formatting."
3. Select "New Rule" and choose "Use a formula to determine which cells to format" from the formatting rule dialog box.
4. Enter the formula =MOD(ROW(),2)=0 to apply formatting to every other row.
5. Click "Format" to choose your desired color from the "Fill" tab. Click "OK.
How To Create Custom Table Styles in Excel
Excel's built-in table styles don't allow for direct customization of row colors beyond the predefined alternating patterns. However, you can create a custom table style to apply a different pattern or set of row colors to your table.
1. Create a custom table style: Go to the table style gallery under "Format as table" and select "New Table Style…" at the bottom.
2. Customize the row colors: Give your style a name in the New Table Style dialog box. To set custom colors for specific rows, click "First Row Stripe" or "Second Row Stripe."
- Choose "Format…" and select your desired fill color, font, or border style for these specific rows.
- You can adjust the "Stripe Size" (number of rows for the striping) to apply the color pattern you want, such as every third or fourth row.
3. Apply your custom table style: Click "OK" to save your new style. Your custom style will now appear under the "Custom" section of the Table Styles gallery. Click on it to apply the style to your table.
Alternate Column Colors in Excel With Conditional Formatting
Like alternating rows, you can use conditional formatting with a formula to color alternate columns. This method allows you to customize the color scheme based on your preferences.
1. Select the range: Open your Excel file and select the range of cells to apply alternating colors to the columns.
2. Open conditional formatting: Go to the "Home" tab on the Ribbon and click "Conditional Formatting."
3. Create a new rule: Choose "New Rule," then select "Use a formula to determine which cells to format."
4. Enter the formula: Enter the formula =MOD(COLUMN(),2)=0 in the formula field. This formula checks the column number and applies formatting to every other column. For example, it will apply the formatting to all even-numbered columns.
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Set the formatting: Click the "Format" button, choose the fill color for the alternating columns, and click "OK."
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Apply the rule: Click "OK" again to apply the rule. Now, every second column in your selected range will be colored according to your set rule.
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