How to Add in Excel

Written by Jack Lloyd

Last Updated: March 28, 2019

One of Microsoft Excel's multitudinous functions is its ability to add values to one another. You can add in Microsoft Excel in a variety of different ways, from adding within a cell to totaling up an entire column's contents.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:
Adding Within a Cell

1
Open Excel.
2
Click a cell.
3
Type an = sign.
4
Type a number you wish to add to another.
5
Type a + sign.
6
Type another number. Each number you add must be separated from the previous entry with a + sign.^{[1]
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7
Hit ↵ Enter. This will add all of the number in your cell to one another; the result will display in the pertinent cell!

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:
Adding With Cell References

1
Open Excel.
2
Type a number into a cell. Take note of that cell's designation (for example, A3).
3
Type a number into another cell. The cell order does not matter.
4
Type = into a third cell.
5
Type the numbers' cell designations after the = sign. For example, you might type "=A3+C1".
6
Press ↵ Enter. You should see your sum in the equation cell!

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:
Determining a Column's Sum

1
Open Excel.
2
Type a number into a cell.
3
Press ↵ Enter. Doing this should move your selected cell down your column by one.
4
Type in another number. You can repeat this process for each number you wish to add.
5
Click your column's letter. This should be at the top of the screen.
6
View your column's sum. You'll find the "Sum" value to the left of the zoom bar in the bottom right corner of Excel.
- You can also hold Ctrl and click each cell you wish to select; the "Sum" value will only display the sum of all selected cells.