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How to format cell so leading zeros don’t disappear in Excel?

Author: Siluvia Last Modified: 2025-06-05

Normally, when entering number with leading zeroes into cell, the leading zeroes will disappear automatically as below screenshot shown. If you want to keep the leading zeroes of the input numbers, methods in this article can help you.

format cell to display the leading zeros

Format cell so leading zeros don’t disappear by entering an apostrophe mark
Format cell so leading zeros don’t disappear by formatting cell as text

Format cell so leading zeros don’t disappear by entering an apostrophe mark

You can keep the leading zeroes of input number by entering an apostrophe mark in advance. Please do as follows.

1. Before entering the number with leading zeroes, please enter an apostrophe mark in the cell. See screenshot:

enter an apostrophe mark in the cell

2. Then you can enter your needed number with leading zeroes into cell. And all leading zeroes are kept as below screenshot shown.

enter the number with leading zeroes

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Format cell so leading zeros don’t disappear by formatting cell as text

You can also format the cells as text formatting to keep leading zeroes showing in cells. Please do as follows.

1. Select the cells you need to keep leading zeroes of input numbers, then click Home > Number Format drop-down icon > Text. See screenshot:

click Home > Number Format drop-down icon > Text

Now the selected cells are formatted as text. And all leading zeroes will be kept before the input numbers. See screenshot:

the selected cells are formatted as text with leading zeroes

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