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Focus Cell: Auto-highlight active row and column in worksheet

Author: Xiaoyang Last Modified: 2025-04-03

When working with large datasets in Excel, it can be challenging to keep track of the active cell, especially when navigating through rows and columns. Highlighting the active row and column can significantly improve readability and reduce errors. In this article, we will explore some methods to auto-highlight the active row and column in Excel.

Auto-highlight active row and column in worksheet

Auto-highlight active row and column with Focus Cell feature

Excel 365 introduces a built-in feature called Focus Cell, which allows users to highlight the active row and column automatically. This feature is intuitive and easy to set up:

Note: At present, this feature is supported for Microsoft 365 subscribers using the desktop version of Excel on: Windows: Version 2410 (Build 18118.20000 or later) Mac: Version 16.91 (Build 24109300 or later).
  1. Open your Excel workbook, and "View" > "Focus Cell", this will automatically highlight the active row and column in a subtle color, making it easier to identify the active cell's position.
    click the Focus Cell feature
  2. Now, as you navigate through the worksheet, the active row and column will automatically be highlighted. See the below demo:
Tips for using this Focus Cell feature
  1. Change highlight color:
    To change the color of the highlights, click the arrow of the right of the "Focus Cell" button, then select "Focus Cell Color", and choose one color you want to highlight the row and column.
    choose the color as you need
  2. Auto Highlight when using Find feature:
    The Focus Cell feature works effortlessly with Excel's Find feature. When you use "Find (Ctrl + F)" to search for specific data, Focus Cell automatically activates to highlight the located cell.
  3. Auto Highlight when Freeze Pane or Split Panes are enabled:
    When "Freeze Panes" or "Split Panes" are activated in Excel, the Auto Highlight feature ensures that the active row and column remain visually emphasized, even when navigating through large datasets. This functionality is particularly useful when working with frozen or split views, as it helps maintain focus on the relevant cells while scrolling through different sections of the worksheet.
  4. Turn off the Focus Cell feature:
    Click "View" > "Focus Cell" again to turn off this feature.

Advantages:

  • "Easy to Enable": Just a few clicks to activate the feature, No need for advanced formulas.
  • "Dynamic Updating": The highlights change instantly as you move to a new cell.

Limitations:

  • "Compatibility Limitations": Only available in Excel 365.
  • "Limited Customization Options": The selection of colors and styles is limited, offering only a few preset colors and a single crosshair-style highlight format.
  • "Highlight Range Limitation": Currently, only the row and column of the active cell can be highlighted, and it is not possible to highlight multiple rows and columns of a selection.

Auto-highlight active row and column with only one click of Kutools

For users without Excel 365, Kutools for Excel offers a robust solution. With the Grid Focus feature in Kutools for Excel, you can not only highlight the row and column of the active cell but also customize the highlighting to focus on the row, column, or multiple rows and columns of selected cells, catering to a wide range of user requirements in different scenarios.

Kutools for Excel offers over 300 advanced features to streamline complex tasks, boosting creativity and efficiency. Itegarate with AI capabilities, Kutools automates tasks with precision, making data management effortless. Detailed information of Kutools for Excel...         Free trial...

After installing Kutools for Excel, you can see the "Kutools" and "Kutools Plus" tabs added to the ribbon.

Click "Kutools" > "Grid Focus", this will automatically highlight the row and column of the selected cell. When you select a different cell, the highlighting dynamically adjusts to focus on the row and column of the new active cell. See the below demo:

Tips for using this Grid Focus feature
  1. Personalized Highlighting Settings:
    This feature provides a range of highlighting choices, enabling you to select from various styles and colors to emphasize the active cell, row, column, or both, tailored to your preferences and requirements. Click "Kutools" > "Grid Focus" > "Grid Focus Settings" to go to the setting center to set the style and color to your need.
  2. Auto Highlight when using Find feature:
    While performing a search with the Find feature, the Grid Focus feature highlights the row and column of the selected cell in real time, enhancing data visibility and ease of use.
  3. Auto Highlight when Freeze Pane or Split Panes are enabled:
    This feature also works well when "Freeze Panes" or "Split Panes" are enabled, ensuring that you can easily track your position and maintain focus, regardless of how the worksheet is divided or frozen.
  4. Turn off the Grid Focus feature:
    To disable this feature, please click "Kutools" > "Grid Focus" again to close this function.

Advantages:

  • "Compatibility": Works with all versions of Excel.
  • "Easy to Enable": Just a few clicks to activate the feature, No need for advanced formulas.
  • "Dynamic Updating": The highlights change instantly as you move to a new cell.
  • "Diverse Styles": Offers a variety of highlighting styles and colors to meet personalized preferences.
  • "Range Highlighting Support": Even when selecting a range, it can highlight the rows and columns within that range, enhancing data navigation efficiency.

Auto-highlight active row and column with Conditional Formatting

Conditional Formatting is a built-in Excel feature that can be used to highlight the active row and column. This method involves setting up a dynamic formula and formatting rules.

  1. Select the whole sheet by clicking on the square at the intersection of the row numbers and column letters (or press "Ctrl" + "A").
  2. Go to the "Home" tab and click "Conditional Formatting" > "New Rule".
    click New Rule under Conditional Formatting
  3. In the "New Formatting Rule" dialog box, set the following operations:
    • Choose "Use a formula to determine which cells to format" from the "Select a Rule Type" list box.
    • In the "Format values where this formula is true" box, enter one of the following formulas:
      To highlight active row: =CELL("row")=ROW()
      To highlight active column: =CELL("col")=COLUMN()
      To highlight active row and column: =OR(CELL("row")=ROW(), CELL("col")= COLUMN())
    • Then, click "Format" button.
      specify the options in the dialog box
  4. In the following "Format Cells" dialog box, under the "Fill" tab, choose one desired color for the highlight, see screenshot:
    choose a color under the Fill tab
  5. Then, click "OK" > "OK" to close the dialogs to apply the rule.

Now, you can see that the entire row and column of cell A1 (or the activated cell you selected) are highlighted simultaneously. To apply this highlighting to a different cell, simply click on the desired cell and press the "F9" key to refresh the worksheet. This will automatically highlight the full row and column of the newly selected cell.

Limitations:

  • "Manual Refresh Required": Conditional Formatting does not automatically update when you move between cells. You need to press "F9" key to refresh the worksheet.
  • "Limited to Single Row and Column": This method highlights only the active row and column.
  • "Performance Impact": Applying Conditional Formatting to very large datasets can slow down Excel.
  • "Compatibility Limitations": This method relies on the "CELL" function, which is only available in Excel 2007 and later, and therefore does not work in previous versions of Excel.

Conclusion

Auto-highlighting the active row and column in Excel can greatly enhance your productivity and reduce errors when working with large datasets. Depending on your version of Excel and your preferences, you can choose the best method to fit you:

  • "Focus Cell Feature": Excel 365 users can take advantage of the built-in Focus Cell feature, which provides a quick and easy way to highlight the active row and column.
  • "Kutools for Excel": For users of all Excel versions, Kutools for Excel offers a more feature-rich solution, including advanced highlighting options and additional tools to enhance productivity.
  • "Conditional Formatting": If you prefer a manual and add-in-free approach, Conditional Formatting is a versatile option that allows you to customize the highlighting of the active row and column.

Each method has its own advantages and limitations, so choose the one that best fits your needs and workflow. If you're interested in exploring more Excel tips and tricks, our website offers thousands of tutorials.

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