How to change or convert text to number in Excel?

When you import data from some source, such as Access or text files, numbers may be formatted as text in cells occasionally. Calculations and sorting will go wrong if numbers are formatted or stored as text. Here are several methods to convert text to numbers in Microsoft Excel.

Convert text to number with Error checking rules in Excel

Convert text to number with Paste Special

Convert text to number with Kutools for Excel

Convert text to number with Error checking rules in Excel

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Generally speaking, when the numbers are formatted or stored in cells as text, there will be an error sign at upper-left corner of the cell. After selecting the cell, it displays an error button before this cell. Click the error button , and it will display a menu, you can click on Convert to Numbercommand item to convert the text in the cell into number. See screenshot:

Then the number stored as text has been converted to number. And then repeat this way for other cells.

If there are no error signs at upper-left corner of the cells, you can also use the Error Checking command under Formula tab to deal with it. Please do as this:

1. Click Formulas > Error Checking, see screenshot:

2. Then in the Error Checking dialog box, click Convert to Number button. And repeatedly click this button to convert other text to numbers.

3. When the last cell text has been changed to number, it will pop up a prompt box to remind you all of the text has been converted to numbers.

But when there are large blocks of data that need to change, this method will be tedious and time-consuming.

Convert text to number with Paste Special

The second method is to convert numbers stored as text by calculating with Paste Special command in Microsoft Excel.

1. Please enter number 0 in a blank cell and copy it;

2. Select the range cells containing numbers stored as text;

3. Right click the selected range, and choose the Paste Special option from context menu;

4. Then it shows Paste Special dialog box, and check the All option and Add option;

5. Click OK, and all the numbers stored as text will be converted to number. See screenshots:

Notes:

• If you don’t want to change the cell formatting in the range after converting text to number, please choose to paste as Value in the Paste option.
• In the Operating options, please select the Add option or Subtract option.
• Disadvantage of this method: if the range contains blank cells, it will fill all blank cells with number 0.

Convert text to number with Kutools for Excel

If you have installed Kutools for Excel on your computer, its Force Values in Cells tool will help you convert all numbers stored as text into numbers without losing original formats and styles.

Kutools for Excel includes more than 300 handy Excel tools. Free to try with no limitation in 30 days. Get it Now.

1. Click Kutools > More > Force Values in Cells…. See screenshot:

2. Then it displays the Force Value in cells dialog box. Just specify the range that contains numbers stored as text, and check the Text to number option.

3. And then click OK or Apply, all numbers stored as text will be converted into numbers in the selected range.

You can click here to know more about this Force Values in Cells feature.

Related article:

How to change or convert number to text in Excel?

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