Need to divide binary numbers by shifting bits to the right in Excel? The BITRSHIFT function lets you move the bits of a number to the right by a specified number of positions, which effectively divides the number by powers of 2. This guide shows you how, step-by-step.
1. Understand BITRSHIFT Function Logic
By default, BITRSHIFT shifts all bits in a number to the right and discards bits that fall off the right edge. So before you use BITRSHIFT, you must:
- Understand that it works with positive integers only (0 to 2^53-1)
- Know that each right shift position divides the number by 2 (shifting right by 1 = divide by 2, by 2 = divide by 4, etc.)
2. Step-by-Step: Use BITRSHIFT for Bit Shifting
✅ Step 1: Enter Your Numbers in Excel Cells
- Open your Excel spreadsheet
- In cell A1, enter the number you want to shift (for example: 20)
- In cell B1, enter how many positions to shift right (for example: 2)
- Leave cell C1 empty for the BITRSHIFT result
✅ Step 2: Write the BITRSHIFT Formula
- Click on cell C1 where you want the result
- Type the formula: =BITRSHIFT(A1,B1)
- Press Enter
- Excel shifts the bits and displays the result (in this case: 5)
Now the formula is complete. BITRSHIFT moved all bits two positions to the right, which divided 20 by 4 (2^2) to get 5.
3. Tips for Better BITRSHIFT Operations
- Use cell references instead of hard-coded numbers so you can change values without editing the formula
- Remember that right shift divides by powers of 2—shift by 1 = ÷2, shift by 2 = ÷4, shift by 3 = ÷8
- Combine with BITLSHIFT to reverse the operation and multiply by powers of 2
4. Bonus: Advanced BITRSHIFT for Calculations and Scaling
Want even more control? You can use BITRSHIFT to efficiently divide numbers or scale values down. Here’s an example:
Example 1: Simple right shift division
Number: 24 (binary: 11000)
Shift by: 3 positions
Formula: =BITRSHIFT(A1, 3)
Result: 3 (24 ÷ 2^3 = 24 ÷ 8 = 3)
Example 2: Scale down a value by dividing by power of 2
Original value: 1600
Scale factor needed: 16 (which is 2^4)
Formula: =BITRSHIFT(1600, 4)
Result: 100
Example 3: Progressive scaling with variable shift
Base amount: 320
Divide by: 5 (shift right by 5 = divide by 32)
Formula: =BITRSHIFT(Base, Divisions)
Result: 10 (320 ÷ 32)
Example 4: Combine right shift with other operations
Starting value: 33
Shift right by: 2
Then subtract remainder: 1
Formula: =BITRSHIFT(A1, B1) - C1
Result: 7 (33 ÷ 4 - 1)
Example 5: Integer division using BITRSHIFT
Dividend: 100
Divisor: 8 (use shift right by 3 instead)
Formula: =BITRSHIFT(100, 3)
Result: 12 (integer division: 100 ÷ 8 = 12 remainder 4)
This approach lets you efficiently divide by powers of 2 or scale values down without using the division operator.
Troubleshooting BITRSHIFT Functions
Sometimes users say that BITRSHIFT returns unexpected results or errors.
- Check if your number is really a positive integer between 0 and 2^53-1.
- Make sure your shift amount is a valid positive integer (usually 0 to 53).
- Review the binary representation—each position shifted right divides by 2, so shifting by 3 should divide by 8.
Another common issue is that BITRSHIFT returns #NUM! error or decimal values when you expected whole numbers.
- Make sure both arguments are whole numbers, not decimals (BITRSHIFT doesn’t work with decimals).
- Verify that neither number is negative—BITRSHIFT requires non-negative integers.
- Remember that right shift with remainders discards the fractional part (12 right shift by 1 = 6, not 6.0).
Learning how to use BITRSHIFT in Excel is a great way to efficiently divide by powers of 2 or scale values down quickly. You don’t have to use traditional division—let BITRSHIFT shift the bits and focus on your calculations.
Try it out and master bitwise operations in Excel today!
