How to show or hide formula bar in Excel?
To maximize workspace, we may hide Formula Bar in Excel. However, Formula Bar is necessary and helpful when we edit formulas in cells. Here are some tips to switch two screen settings in Excel: showing Formula Bar and hiding Formula Bar.
- Show or hide the Formula Bar with checking or unchecking Formula Bar option
- Show or hide the Formula Bar with Kutools for Excel
- Show or hide Status Bar/Formula bar/Ribbon with just one click
- Which Method Should You Use?
- Conclusion
Show or hide the Formula Bar with checking or unchecking Formula Bar option
We can display or hide the Formula Bar under View tab in Excel Ribbon with Formula Bar option in the Show group.
If you want to show the Formula Bar, check the Formula Bar option; if you want to hide the Formula Bar, uncheck it.
Note: You can also get this Show Formula bar option by clicking the File (or Office button) > Options > Advanced > Display > Show Formula bar.
Show or hide the Formula Bar with Kutools for Excel
Kutools for Excel's View Options tool is designed to show or hide spreadsheet settings, such as Grid Lines, Page Break, etc. With it, we can easily display or hide the Formula Bar in Excel:
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1. Click Kutools > View > View Options,
2. In the View Options dialog box, check or uncheck the Formula Bar option under the Application Settings section. See screenshot:
3. Click Ok to apply the setting.(Note: If you want to apply this option to all the worksheets, please click Apply to all sheets.)
The View Options makes it possible to show or hide most of Microsoft Excel settings quickly, such as Inner Tabs, Formula Bar, Status Bar, Windows in Taskbar, Gridlines, Page Breaks, Display Zeros, Vertical Scrollbar, Horizontal Scrollbar, Sheet Tab, … etc. It will save your time in looking for these setting when you need to show or hide them.
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Hide or Show Status Bar/Formula bar/Ribbon with just one click
If you have Kutools for Excel installed, its Work Area utility can help you quickly hide Status Bar, Formula Bar, or Ribbon easily in Excel, and also enables you to restore the default Excel view immediately.
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Click the Kutools > View > Work Area, it will automatically maximize the Excel window by hiding the Status Bar, Formula Bar, and Ribbon.
And you can also adjust the view by buttons in the Work Area Size window. See screen shot below:
If you need to restore the default Excel window, just click the first button in the Work Area Size window.
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Which Method Should You Use?
| Feature | Excel View / Options | Kutools View Options | Kutools Work Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Quickly showing or hiding only the Formula Bar with Excel’s built-in settings | Managing the Formula Bar together with multiple display settings | Temporarily maximizing worksheet space for focused work or presentations |
| Other interface controls | Limited to the settings available in the selected Excel menu | Can also control gridlines, page breaks, scrollbars, sheet tabs, display zeros, and other interface elements | Can quickly hide or restore the Formula Bar, Status Bar, and Ribbon |
| Applies to multiple sheets | Formula Bar visibility applies to the Excel application window | Includes an Apply to all sheets option for supported worksheet display settings | Changes the overall Excel workspace layout |
| Main advantage | Built into Excel and requires no additional software | Provides centralized control over many Excel display options | Creates a larger, cleaner worksheet area with one click |
| Main limitation | Offers less centralized control when several display settings need adjustment | Requires Kutools for Excel | Requires Kutools for Excel |
Conclusion
Showing or hiding the Formula Bar in Excel can help you create a cleaner workspace or make more room for viewing worksheet data.
Use Excel’s built-in View or Excel Options settings when you only need to toggle the Formula Bar occasionally. For more detailed control over gridlines, scrollbars, sheet tabs, and other display settings, use Kutools View Options. To quickly create a larger, distraction-free worksheet area, Kutools Work Area can hide the Formula Bar together with the Ribbon and Status Bar.
Choose the method that best matches whether you need a simple Formula Bar toggle, centralized display management, or a cleaner workspace for focused work and presentations.
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