Automatically highlight active row and column with Kutools for Excel

This method will guide you to highlight the last row in a certain range with conditional formatting in Excel. Please do as follows:

1. Define a name with clicking Formulas > Define Name.

2. In the opening New Name dialog box, please type LastRow into the Name box, type =MATCH(9.9E+307,$A:$A) into the Refers to box, and then click the OK button.

3. Select the range you will apply the conditional formatting to (in our case we select the Range A1:E30), and click Home > Conditional Formatting > New Rule. See screenshot:

4. In the opening New Formatting Rule dialog box, please:

(1) Click to highlight the Use a formula to determine which cells to format option in the Select a Rule Type box;

(2) In the Format values where this formula is true box, type the formula =ROW()=LastRow;

(3) Click the Format button.

5. In the popping up Format Cells dialog box, go to the Fill tab, specify a fill color, and click the OK button. See screenshot:

6. Now you return to the New Formatting Rule dialog box, please click the OK button to apply this conditional formatting.

And then you will see the last row with data in the specified range is automatically highlighted. See screenshot:

Notes:

1. Only if cells are filled with numbers or dates in the Column A, this conditional formatting can recognize and highlight the last row in the specified range.

2. If there are numbers or dates in column A beyond the specified range, this conditional formatting rule will be invalid.

This method will introduce Kutools for Excel’s Select Last Cell utility to select the last cell of used range, or select the last nonblank cell of last row/column in active worksheet with only one click, and then we can add fill color for selected cell easily.

1. Click Kutools > Select > Select Last Cell > Last One to select the last cell of used range in active worksheet.

2. Now the last cell of used range in active worksheet is selected. Please click Home > Fill Color and then specify a fill color from the drop down list to highlight this cell. See screenshot:

Notes:

(1) Highlight the last nonblank cell of last used row with clicking Kutools > Select > Select Last Cell > Last Row, and then clicking Home > Fill Color.

(2) Highlight the last nonblank cell of last used column with clicking Kutools > Select > Select Last Cell > Last Column, and then clicking Home > Fill color.

Highlight cells with same/duplicate values in Excel