How to use Format Painter in Excel

In this Excel tutorial, you learn how to use Format Painter in Excel.

If you want to copy the formatting of a cell or a range of cells in Excel, you can use the Format Painter tool. This tool allows you to apply the same font, color, border, alignment, and other formatting options to another cell or range of cells with just a few clicks. In this blog post, I will show you how to use Format Painter in Excel and some tips and tricks to make the most of it.

To use Format Painter in Excel, follow these steps:

1. Select the cell or range of cells that has the formatting you want to copy.
2. Click on the Format Painter button on the Home tab of the ribbon. The cursor will change to a paintbrush icon.
3. Click on the cell or range of cells where you want to apply the formatting. The formatting will be copied to the destination cell or range of cells.

You can also double-click on the Format Painter button to keep it active and apply the formatting to multiple cells or ranges of cells. To turn off the Format Painter, press Esc or click on the Format Painter button again.

Some tips and tricks to use Format Painter in Excel are:

• You can use Format Painter to copy conditional formatting rules as well as regular formatting options.
• You can use Format Painter to copy formatting across worksheets and workbooks. Just select the source cell or range of cells, click on the Format Painter button, switch to the destination worksheet or workbook, and click on the destination cell or range of cells.
• You can use Format Painter to copy formatting from charts, shapes, pictures, and other objects in Excel. Just select the source object, click on the Format Painter button, and click on the destination object.
• You can use keyboard shortcuts to use Format Painter in Excel. To copy formatting from one cell or range of cells to another, press Ctrl+C to copy the source cell or range of cells, select the destination cell or range of cells, and press Ctrl+Alt+V to open the Paste Special dialog box. Then select Formats and click OK. To copy formatting from one object to another, press Ctrl+C to copy the source object, select the destination object, and press Ctrl+V to paste.

Format Painter is a handy tool that can save you time and effort when you want to apply consistent formatting in Excel. I hope this blog post has helped you learn how to use Format Painter in Excel and some tips and tricks to make the most of it.