How to change relative reference to absolute reference in Excel?
By default, the cell references are set up as relative references in worksheets, which means when we copy the formula from one cell to another in current worksheet, the relative references will be automatically changed its cell reference. In some cases, relative reference is useful, but when you need to copy the formula to other cells without changing cell references in formulas, we may need to change the relative reference to absolute reference before moving the formula.
As we all known, we can press F4 to toggle the relative address to absolute address or manually add the dollar sign ($) before the row and the column to change relative to absolute in Excel. But when we need to copy multiple formulas without changing the cell references, what should we do?
Pressing F4 to change a formula from relative reference to absolute reference;
- Reuse Anything: Add the most used or complex formulas, charts and anything else to your favorites, and quickly reuse them in the future.
- More than 20 text features: Extract Number from Text String; Extract or Remove Part of Texts; Convert Numbers and Currencies to English Words.
- Merge Tools: Multiple Workbooks and Sheets into One; Merge Multiple Cells/Rows/Columns Without Losing Data; Merge Duplicate Rows and Sum.
- Split Tools: Split Data into Multiple Sheets Based on Value; One Workbook to Multiple Excel, PDF or CSV Files; One Column to Multiple Columns.
- Paste Skipping Hidden/Filtered Rows; Count And Sum by Background Color; Send Personalized Emails to Multiple Recipients in Bulk.
- Super Filter: Create advanced filter schemes and apply to any sheets; Sort by week, day, frequency and more; Filter by bold, formulas, comment...
- More than 300 powerful features; Works with Office 2007-2019 and 365; Supports all languages; Easy deploying in your enterprise or organization.
Pressing F4 to change formula from relative reference to absolute reference
Supposing the column C is using formula (=A1*B1) to multiply column A by column B. When we copy the column C to other cells, the calculating results will change, because the formula (=A1*B1) is using the relative cell reference. If we want to copy the column C without changing cell references of the formulas, we can change the cell references from relative to absolute before moving it.
 |
After moving the column C to Column E. All velues has been changed. |
 |
In this situation, we can press F4 to toggle relative references to absolute references.
Put the cursor behind A1 in the formula bar, press F4 once, it will become $A$1.See screenshot:
Then put the cursor behind B1in the formula bar, press F4 once, it will become $B$1. See screenshot:
After changing the formula’s cell references to absolute address, we can copy the formula and move to other cell without changing cell reference.
Manually add dollar sign ($) before row and column to change relative reference to absolute reference
Click the formula cell that you want to change, then add $ dollar sign before row and column. Then tap Enter, and cell references in formulas will be changed from relative reference to absolute reference.
The above methods are easy to change one or two formulas’ cell references, but if there are a range of formulas need to be changed, those methods may be troublesome and time-consuming. Kutools for Excel can help you change a range formula’s cell references quickly and comfortably.
Using a handy tool to change a range formulas cell references from relative to absolute with one click
Kutools for Excel: with more than 300 handy Excel add-ins, free to try with no limitation in 30 days. Get it Now
After installing Kutools for Excel, you can change relative reference to absolute reference quickly by following the next steps.
Step 1. Go to select the range that contains formulas you want to change cell references in worksheet.
Step 2. Click Kutools > Convert references in the Formula group. It will display Convert formula references dialog box. See screenshot:
 |
 |
 |
Then choose To absolute option from Convert. And then click OK. It will convert cell references in formulas to absolute references. Now, we can copy and move the formula to any cells in current worksheet without changing cell references in formulas.
 |
After changing cell references in formulas, to copy and move the formulas to other cells in current worksheet won't change the values. Copy and paste the Column C to Column G in curren worksheet. |
 |
The Best Office Productivity Tools
Kutools for Excel Solves Most of Your Problems, and Increases Your Productivity by 80%
- Reuse: Quickly insert complex formulas, charts and anything that you have used before; Encrypt Cells with password; Create Mailing List and send emails...
- Super Formula Bar (easily edit multiple lines of text and formula); Reading Layout (easily read and edit large numbers of cells); Paste to Filtered Range...
- Merge Cells/Rows/Columns without losing Data; Split Cells Content; Combine Duplicate Rows/Columns... Prevent Duplicate Cells; Compare Ranges...
- Select Duplicate or Unique Rows; Select Blank Rows (all cells are empty); Super Find and Fuzzy Find in Many Workbooks; Random Select...
- Exact Copy Multiple Cells without changing formula reference; Auto Create References to Multiple Sheets; Insert Bullets, Check Boxes and more...
- Extract Text, Add Text, Remove by Position, Remove Space; Create and Print Paging Subtotals; Convert Between Cells Content and Comments...
- Super Filter (save and apply filter schemes to other sheets); Advanced Sort by month/week/day, frequency and more; Special Filter by bold, italic...
- Combine Workbooks and WorkSheets; Merge Tables based on key columns; Split Data into Multiple Sheets; Batch Convert xls, xlsx and PDF...
- More than 300 powerful features. Supports Office/Excel 2007-2019 and 365. Supports all languages. Easy deploying in your enterprise or organization. Full features 30-day free trial. 60-day money back guarantee.
Office Tab Brings Tabbed interface to Office, and Make Your Work Much Easier
- Enable tabbed editing and reading in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Access, Visio and Project.
- Open and create multiple documents in new tabs of the same window, rather than in new windows.
- Increases your productivity by 50%, and reduces hundreds of mouse clicks for you every day!
You are guest
or post as a guest, but your post won't be published automatically.
Be the first to comment.