Changing the colour in Excel, specifically the background colour of cells, is a straightforward process using the Format Cells options.
To change the background colour (fill color) of cells in Excel, you typically use the 'Fill' tab within the 'Format Cells' dialog box. This allows you to visually distinguish specific cells or data ranges.
Here are the steps based on the provided method:
- Select the cell or range of cells you want to format. You can click on a single cell, drag your mouse to select multiple cells, or use keyboard shortcuts like
Ctrl+Ato select all cells. - Access the 'Format Cells' dialog box. You have two main ways to do this as mentioned:
- Click Home > Format Cells dialog launcher: On the Home tab of the Excel ribbon, locate the 'Cells' group. Click the small arrow (dialog box launcher) in the bottom-right corner of this group.
- Press Ctrl+Shift+F: This is a keyboard shortcut that directly opens the 'Format Cells' dialog box.
- In the 'Format Cells' dialog box that appears, navigate to the Fill tab.
- Under Background Color, pick the color you want. The Fill tab presents a palette of standard colors. Click on the desired color to select it.
- Click OK to apply the chosen background color to the selected cells.
This method changes the background fill color of the cells.
Quick Reference Table
| Action | Method 1 (Mouse) | Method 2 (Keyboard Shortcut) |
|---|---|---|
| Select Cells | Click and drag | Use Shift/Ctrl keys + Arrows |
| Open Format Cells | Home > Cells group > Dialog Launcher (small arrow) | Ctrl + Shift + F |
| Choose Color | Go to Fill tab, click desired color under Background | Go to Fill tab, select color |
| Apply Color | Click OK | Press Enter (after choosing) |
By following these steps, you can easily apply background colors to your Excel cells to enhance readability and organization.
