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How to remove leading minus sign from numbers in Excel?

f there are some numbers with leading minus sign in a sheet, and what your job is to remove the leading minus sign from the numbers, which means to convert the negative numbers to positive numbers, how can you quickly handle it? Here are some tricks I can introduce to help you.


arrow blue right bubble Remove leading minus sign from cell with formula

There is an easy formula can help you get the absolute value of the numbers with leading minus.

Select a blank cell next to the numbers, for instance, B1, and type this formula =ABS(A1) (A1 is the cell you want to remove the leading minus sign), and then drag autofill handle down to fill the cells needed this formula. See screenshot:
doc remove leading minus 2 doc remove leading minus 3


arrow blue right bubble Remove leading minus sign from cell with Format Cells

If you want to remove the leading minus sign from numbers but also distinguish the negative numbers from the positive ones, you can apply Format Cells function.

1. Select the numbers and then right click to shown the context menu, and select Format Cells. See screenshot:
doc remove leading minus 4

2. In the Format Cells dialog, under Number tab, select Number from the Category list, and the go to the right section and type 0 into the Decimal place textbox, and select one type of Negative numbers as you need. See screenshot:
doc remove leading minus 5

3. Then click OK. And now you can see the leading minus signs have been remove, but you also can tell the negative numbers and positives.
doc remove leading minus 6


arrow blue right bubble Remove leading minus sign from cell with Kutools for Excel

If you have Kutools for Excel – a handy tool, you can quickly convert negative numbers to positive numbers with the Change Sign of Values utility.

Kutools for Excel, with more than 300 handy functions, makes your jobs more easier. 

After free installing Kutools for Excel, please do as below:

1. Select the cells that you want to remove leading minus signs, and then click Kutools > Contents > Change Sign of Values. See screenshot:
doc remove leading minus 7

2. In the Change Sign of Values dialog, check Change all negative values to positive option, see screenshot:
doc remove leading minus 8

3. Click Ok. And now you can see all the negative numbers have been converted to positive.
doc remove leading minus 1

With Change Sign of Values, you can convert all positive values to negatives, fix the trailing negative signs, and change all negatives to zero or reverse the sign of values. Click here to know more.


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