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How to stop last number from changing to zero in Excel?

Author: Sun Last Modified: 2024-09-24

In Excel, generally, the number of entering numbers are limited in 15 characters, if the number string is longer than 15 characters, and the number will be shown as 0 from the 16th character as below screenshot shown. This problem must get many financial staff into trouble because the credit cards’ number they need to enter into sheets are usually longer than 15 numbers. Here I introduce the tricks can help you prevent the number from changing to zero in Excel.

Last number changing to zero example

Stop last number from changing to 0 with adding single quotation mark

Stop last number from changing to 0 with Format Cells


arrow blue right bubble Stop last number from changing to 0 with adding single quotation mark

For stopping number from changing to zero, you can add single quotation mark before entering the numbers in cell.

Select a blank cell and enter ' into it, and then enter the numbers, and you can see all numbers are exactly displayed in the cell. See screenshot:
Stop last number changing to zero using ''


arrow blue right bubble Stop last number from changing to 0 with Format Cells

Advanced to adding single quotation one by one to stop number from changing to zero, you also can format the cells as text formatting before you entering numbers.

1. Select the cells that you want to enter numbers longer than 15 digits, and then press Ctrl + 1 to display Format Cells dialog.

2. In the popping Format Cells dialog, under Number tab, and select Text from the Category list. See screenshot:
Format Cells dialog

3. Then click OK, and when you entering numbers in the selected cells, the number won’t be changed to zero any longer.


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