To find the mean in Excel, select an empty cell, type =AVERAGE(A2:A10) with your own data range, and press Enter. This calculates the arithmetic mean, the ordinary average of your numbers. You can also choose Average from the AutoSum menu or select numeric cells to read their average on the status bar.
The short version
- Start with AVERAGE: Enter
=AVERAGE(A2:A10)in an empty cell and replace the range with yours. - Use the menu: Choose Average from the AutoSum menu and check the proposed range.
- Get a quick answer: Select numeric cells and read Average on the status bar.
- Check what counts: AVERAGE ignores blanks and referenced text but includes numeric zeros.
| Method | Best use | What to enter or select |
|---|---|---|
| AVERAGE | Put the ordinary mean in a cell | =AVERAGE(A2:A10) |
| AutoSum | Insert an average through the menu | AutoSum > Average |
| Status bar | Read the mean without entering a formula | Select numbers and read Average |
| Quick Analysis | Average selected data on Windows | Quick Analysis > Totals > Average |
| AVERAGEIF | Exclude zeros or apply one condition | =AVERAGEIF(A2:A10,"<>0") |
| AVERAGEIFS | Apply multiple conditions | =AVERAGEIFS(B2:B10,A2:A10,"East",C2:C10,2026) |
| SUMPRODUCT divided by SUM | Calculate a weighted mean | =SUMPRODUCT(A2:A10,B2:B10)/SUM(B2:B10) |
| SUBTOTAL | Exclude filtered and manually hidden rows | =SUBTOTAL(101,A2:A10) |
| AGGREGATE | Ignore error values | =AGGREGATE(1,6,A2:A10) |
| AVERAGE with IF and ISERROR | Exclude errors in Microsoft 365 | =AVERAGE(IF(ISERROR(B2:D2),"",B2:D2)) |
Enter your data range in AVERAGE
Select an empty cell where you want the result, outside the numbers you are averaging. Enter the following formula, replacing A2:A10 with the first and last cells of your numeric range.
=AVERAGE(A2:A10)Press Enter to calculate the mean. The range A2:A10 includes cells A2 through A10, so check that those endpoints match the numbers you want included. You can use this formula in Excel for Microsoft 365 and Excel 2024 on Windows and Mac.
In Excel for the web, open the workbook with editing enabled, select an empty cell, and enter the same formula. Press Enter to finish. Formula AutoComplete can help complete the function name as you type.
Your numbers do not have to sit in one continuous range. To average separate ranges and individual cells together, enter the following formula and press Enter.
=AVERAGE(A2:A4,A7,C2:C5)You can also enter numbers directly with =AVERAGE(2,4,6), which returns 4. Use cell references when your numbers are already in the worksheet. On an iPhone or iPad with an external keyboard, enter the formula in an empty result cell and press Return.
Insert an average from the menu
On Windows, select the empty cell immediately below a column of numbers or immediately to the right of a row. Open Home, find the Editing group, and select the arrow beside AutoSum. Choose Average, check the selected range, and press Enter.
On Mac, select the result cell, open Formulas, and select the arrow beside AutoSum. Choose Average, check the proposed range, and press Return. You can also begin by selecting the numeric cells before choosing the same command.
On Android, tap the first empty cell after your numeric range, or select the range by dragging. Tap AutoSum, then tap Average. Check the range and tap the check mark to finish.
You can also use Quick Analysis in Excel for Microsoft 365 and Excel 2024 on Windows. Select your numeric cells, click the Quick Analysis button at the lower-right corner of the selection, and choose Totals > Average. Choose the row or column orientation that matches the calculation you need.
Read the mean from the status bar
For a quick answer without inserting a formula, select the numeric cells and read Average on the status bar at the bottom of the desktop Excel window. If that entry is missing, right-click the status bar and select Average. You can use this method in Microsoft 365 and Excel 2024 on Windows and Mac.
In Excel for the web, select two or more numeric cells and read Average on the status bar. To enable it, open the arrow beside the last status-bar entry and select Average under Customize Status Bar. Select the displayed average value to copy it, then paste it into a cell or another application.
Check blanks text and zeros
AVERAGE ignores empty cells and text stored in referenced cells, but it includes numeric zeros. A blank cell and a cell containing zero therefore affect your mean differently. Hiding zeros through display settings does not remove them from the calculation.
To exclude zeros deliberately, use AVERAGEIF with a condition that means not equal to zero. Enter the following formula in your result cell and press Enter.
=AVERAGEIF(A2:A10,"<>0")Keep zeros included when they are real observations that belong in your calculation. Exclude them only when that matches the result you need. If your next task is rounding the result, see how to round in Excel.
Average numbers that meet a condition
Use AVERAGEIF to calculate the mean of only the values that meet one condition. For example, enter =AVERAGEIF(A2:A10,">5") and press Enter to average only numbers greater than 5. Values that do not meet that condition are excluded.
You can also test one column while averaging another. With region names in A2:A10 and numbers in B2:B10, enter the following formula and press Enter to average the numbers whose region is East.
=AVERAGEIF(A2:A10,"East",B2:B10)For multiple conditions, use AVERAGEIFS instead. With regions in column A, values in column B, and years in column C, enter the following formula and press Enter to average values whose region is East and whose year is 2026. All conditions must match, and the referenced ranges must have matching dimensions.
=AVERAGEIFS(B2:B10,A2:A10,"East",C2:C10,2026)Calculate a weighted mean
Use a weighted mean when each value has a corresponding weight. Put the values in A2:A10 and their matching weights in B2:B10, keeping each value beside its weight. Enter the following formula in an empty cell and press Enter.
=SUMPRODUCT(A2:A10,B2:B10)/SUM(B2:B10)SUMPRODUCT multiplies the corresponding values and weights, then adds those products together. Dividing by the sum of the weights gives the weighted mean, and the weights must have a nonzero total. If you want to calculate the individual products separately, see how to multiply in Excel with cell references.
Average visible rows or skip errors
To exclude both filtered-out rows and manually hidden rows, enter =SUBTOTAL(101,A2:A10) and press Enter. Use =SUBTOTAL(1,A2:A10) instead to include manually hidden rows while still excluding filtered-out rows. Choose the formula based on which observations should count.
If error values are stopping the calculation and you intend to exclude them, use AGGREGATE. Enter the following formula and press Enter to average the range while ignoring errors.
=AGGREGATE(1,6,A2:A10)Use =AGGREGATE(1,7,A2:A10) to ignore hidden rows as well as errors. Skipping errors changes which values contribute to your mean, so use it only when you want the average of the remaining numeric values.
In Microsoft 365, you can also combine AVERAGE with IF and ISERROR to exclude errors. For more on the conditional part, see how to use IF statements in Excel. Enter the following formula and press Enter.
=AVERAGE(IF(ISERROR(B2:D2),"",B2:D2))Fix a mean that has stopped updating
When your existing mean does not update after its source values change, check calculation settings. On Windows, select Formulas > Calculate Now or press F9 for a manual update. To restore automatic updates, select Formulas > Calculation Options > Automatic.
In Excel for the web, select Formulas > Calculation Options > Automatic. For a manual update, select Calculate Workbook. These controls update an existing formula, so enter your AVERAGE formula first if the result cell is still empty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are mean, median, and mode the same thing in Excel?
No, MEDIAN and MODE calculate different statistics from the arithmetic mean. Use AVERAGE when you need the ordinary arithmetic mean.
Can you find the mean without using AVERAGE?
Yes, for three numeric cells, enter =(A2+A3+A4)/3 and press Enter, changing both the references and divisor for your data. You can also enter =SUM(A2:A10)/COUNT(A2:A10) and press Enter when the range contains at least one number. COUNT supplies the number of numeric observations.
How do you average the same cell across several worksheets?
For consecutively positioned worksheets named Sheet1 through Sheet3, enter =AVERAGE(Sheet1:Sheet3!A1) in a result cell outside that source span. Press Enter to average A1 across every worksheet between those two sheets, including both endpoints.
What is the difference between AVERAGE and AVERAGEA?
AVERAGE ignores referenced text, while AVERAGEA counts referenced text as zero. AVERAGEA also counts referenced TRUE values as 1 and FALSE values as 0. If those rules match your intended calculation, enter =AVERAGEA(A2:A10) and press Enter.
Can Excel calculate a geometric or harmonic mean?
Yes, enter =GEOMEAN(A2:A10) for a geometric mean or =HARMEAN(A2:A10) for a harmonic mean, then press Enter. Your observations must be strictly positive. Both calculate a different statistic from the ordinary arithmetic mean.