How to increase or decrease cell number/value by percentage in Excel?

In day-to-day work, you may frequently need to adjust numbers in Excel by a certain percentage, such as applying a sales tax, giving a discount, or updating costs or projections. This operation is especially useful in financial, sales, and data analysis contexts, where quick recalculations are needed across multiple records. The following guide explores several practical methods to increase or decrease cell numbers by a specific percentage in Excel, as illustrated in the screenshot below. Each method has its advantages and is suitable for different scenarios and user preferences.

Increase or decrease cell number by percentage with formula
Increase or decrease cell number by percentage with Paste Special
Batch increase or decrease cell numbers by percentage with Kutools for Excel
Automatically increase or decrease cell values by a percentage with VBA macro

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Increase or decrease cell number by percentage with formula

Using a formula is the most flexible solution for recalculating values based on a percentage adjustment. This method is well-suited for individual calculations, batch operations, and when you want the results to update automatically if the source data or the percentage changes. The formulas for increasing and decreasing are straightforward and easy to apply.

To increase a value by a percentage:   =number*(1+percent)
To decrease a value by a percentage:   =number*(1-percent)

For example, If cell A2 contains the base value and B2 contains the percentage adjustment (entered either as 20% or as the decimal 0.20), you can use the following formula:

1. Click into a blank cell where you want the adjusted result to appear (for example, C2).
2. If increasing, enter: =A2*(1+B2) in the Formula Bar and press Enter.

Note:

3. When you have the correct result in one cell, simply select and drag the Fill Handle (the little square in the bottom right corner of the cell) down or across to copy the formula to other cells in your range.

Tips and precautions:

• This method is best when you want automatic updates—if either the original number or the percentage changes, the result recalculates instantly.
• Ensure that the percentage value is entered correctly — either as a percentage (e.g., 20%) or as a decimal (e.g., 0.2). Entering a whole number like 20 (without the % symbol) will result in incorrect calculations.
• If you want to apply a fixed percentage adjustment (e.g., always increase by 15% or decrease by 15%), you can directly use a constant in the formula, such as =A2*1.15 for a 15% increase or =A2*0.85 for a 15% decrease.
• Alternatively, if you're using a percentage from another cell and want to keep it fixed when copying the formula, use an absolute reference like =A2*(1+$B$2).
• Watch out for referencing errors (relative vs. absolute cell references) when copying formulas to a large range.

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Increase or decrease cell number by percentage with Paste Special

Pasting special with the "Multiply" operation provides a quick way to increase or decrease a group of cell numbers by a certain percentage. Unlike formulas, this approach immediately overwrites original values with the adjusted results, so it is generally useful for one-off bulk changes when you do not need to keep the original data or formulas.

How it works: You apply a multiplier to adjust values by a specific percentage. For example, a 20% increase uses a factor of 1.2 (1 + 0.2), while a 20% decrease uses 0.8 (1 − 0.2).

1. In a cell, enter the multiplier (e.g., 1.2 for a 20% increase). Copy this cell by selecting it and pressing Ctrl + C.
2. Select the range of values you want to adjust.
3. Right-click and choose Paste Special > Paste Special.

4. In the Paste Special dialog box, choose Multiply under the Operation section, then click OK to apply.

The selected cell values will be instantly updated by the specified percentage factor.

Tips and notes:

• This method immediately modifies the source data, so consider copying your original data to a backup location if needed.
• Paste Special > Multiply works on numeric cells—non-numeric values are not affected.
• Double-check that you have the correct factor, as this change cannot be easily undone without pressing Undo (Ctrl+Z).
• If your percentage value is entered as a percentage (e.g.,20%), first convert it to the appropriate multiplier (1.2 or 0.8) before using Paste Special.

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Batch increase or decrease cell numbers by percentage with Kutools for Excel

Kutools for Excel offers a user-friendly solution for batch-increasing or decreasing selected cell values by a specific percentage, especially when handling large data ranges or repetitive adjustments. The Operation Tools feature streamlines the calculation and directly processes all selected cells according to your specified settings.

1. Select the cells that you want to adjust by a percentage. Then, click Kutools > More > Operation.

2. In the Operation Tools dialog box, choose Multiplication from the Operation list. In the Operand box, enter either 1+percentage (for increase) or 1-percentage (for decrease). Then, click the OK button.

Kutools will then immediately update all selected cell numbers according to your settings.

Note: You have additional control options in this dialog:

• Create formulas: If checked, the results will be formulas. This is helpful if you want the results to auto-update when the input data changes.
• Skip formula cells: If checked, any cells that already contain formulas will not be overwritten.

This method is especially suitable for batch operations, saving significant time for users who frequently process large ranges with similar adjustments. Be mindful that direct data changes will overwrite original values if “Create formulas” is unchecked.

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Automatically increase or decrease cell values by a percentage with VBA macro

Sometimes, especially when you have many data points or need to repeat the same operation frequently, automating the adjustment of values by a given percentage using a VBA macro is highly effective. With VBA, you can prompt the user to enter a percentage and apply the adjustment across any selected range in just a few clicks. This approach is ideal for advanced Excel users, regular batch processors, and anyone who wants more automation and customizability than formulas or standard menu tools allow.

1. To begin, press Alt + F11 to open the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications editor. In the window, click Insert > Module, and paste the following VBA code into the module:

Sub AdjustValuesByPercent()
    Dim WorkRng As Range
    Dim pctChange As Variant
    Dim xTitleId As String
    Dim cell As Range
    
    On Error Resume Next
    xTitleId = "KutoolsforExcel"
    
    Set WorkRng = Application.Selection
    Set WorkRng = Application.InputBox("Select the range to adjust:", xTitleId, WorkRng.Address, Type:=8)
    
    pctChange = Application.InputBox("Enter percentage change (e.g.,20 for +20%, -10 for -10%):", xTitleId, "", Type:=1)
    
    If VarType(pctChange) = vbBoolean Then Exit Sub
    
    For Each cell In WorkRng
        If IsNumeric(cell.Value) And Not IsEmpty(cell.Value) Then
            cell.Value = cell.Value * (1 + pctChange / 100)
        End If
    Next
End Sub

2. Close the VBA editor, select the range of cells in your worksheet that you wish to adjust, then press Alt + F8 to open the Macro dialog. Choose AdjustValuesByPercent and click Run. You will be asked to confirm the range, and then enter the desired percentage—for example, enter25 for a25% increase, or -15 for a15% decrease. The macro will process the selection accordingly.

Tips and troubleshooting:

• Always save your workbook beforehand, as this process will overwrite the original values in the selected range.
• This macro only adjusts numeric values in the selected range—text cells remain unchanged.
• Enter positive values for increases (e.g., 10 for + 10%) and negative for decreases (e.g., -10 for - 10%).
• VBA macros can run in any open workbook during the current Excel session, but to save and reuse them, you must store the workbook as a macro-enabled file type (.xlsm or .xlsb). Enable macros if prompted.

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Related article:

• How to increase or increment cell reference by X in Excel?