To copy formatting in Excel, select the source cell, choose Home > Format Painter, then drag across the destination cells and release the mouse button. This applies the source formatting while keeping the destination values. Format Painter works this way in Excel for Microsoft 365 and Excel 2024 on Windows and Mac, and the Excel for the web paste steps appear below.
The short version
- Quickest method: Select the source cell, choose Home > Format Painter, and drag across the destination.
- Separate selections: In Windows Excel, double-click Format Painter to apply the same formatting repeatedly, then press Esc.
- Keep existing values: Choose a formatting-only paste option instead of ordinary paste.
- Match column widths: On Windows, use Paste Special > Column widths separately.
| Method | Use it for | Where to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Format Painter | Copying a cell's formatting once | Windows and Mac |
| Double-click Format Painter | Formatting several separate selections | Windows |
| Search or KeyTips | Finding formatting commands with the keyboard | Windows |
| Formatting-only paste | Applying copied formats through the ribbon or dialog | Windows, Mac, and web |
| Formatting paste shortcuts | Using the keyboard to paste formats | Windows |
| Ordinary paste | Copying contents and formatting together | Windows and Mac |
| Fill Formatting Only | Extending formatting into adjacent cells | Windows and Mac |
| Extend data range formats and formulas | Continuing an existing pattern in new rows | Windows and Mac |
| Column widths | Matching column sizes separately | Windows |
| Keep Source Column Widths | Copying contents and column widths together | Windows |
| Worksheet copying | Duplicating a sheet's contents and formatting | Windows and web steps below |
| Conditional formatting with Format Painter | Copying rules to other cells | Windows |
| Duplicate Rule or Applies to | Duplicating a rule or extending its range | Windows |
| Cell styles | Saving and reusing named formatting | Windows |
| Macro recording | Replaying a formatting-copy operation | Windows and Mac |
| Merge Styles | Importing cell styles from another workbook | Windows |
| Table styles | Matching another table's appearance | Windows and Mac |
| Chart templates | Reusing chart formatting | Windows and Mac |
| Saved themes | Reusing theme colors, fonts, and effects | Windows |
Copy cell formatting with Format Painter
Select the cell whose formatting you want to reuse. Open Home, select Format Painter, then drag across the destination cells and release the mouse button. You can use this method in Windows and Mac desktop Excel.
For several separate destinations in Windows Excel, select the source cell and double-click Format Painter. Select each destination range in turn, then press Esc or select Format Painter again to finish. You can keep applying the formatting until you turn the tool off.
To find the tool through Windows Excel search, select the source cell and press Alt + Q. Search for Format Painter, select the command, then drag across the destination cells. Alternatively, press Alt + H and follow the displayed KeyTips to reach the command.
Paste formatting only on Windows
Select the source cells and press Ctrl + C. Select the destination, open the arrow beside Paste on the Home tab, and select Formatting. This applies the copied formatting without replacing the destination contents.
For the dialog route, copy the source and select the destination. Open Home > Paste > Paste Special, select Formats, and select OK. You can use formatting-only paste for cells, ranges, rows, and columns.
With an English interface and US keyboard, copy with Ctrl + C and select the destination. Press Ctrl + Alt + V, then press T followed by Enter. Avoid substituting Ctrl + Shift + V, which pastes values in desktop Excel.
If you want to copy contents and formatting together, copy the source, select the destination, and press Ctrl + V. Ordinary paste replaces the destination contents too, so choose Formats when you need to keep existing numbers or formulas.
Paste formatting on Mac or in a browser
On Mac, select the source cells and press Command + C. Select the destination, open the arrow beside Paste on the Home tab, and choose Formatting.
To copy contents and formatting together on Mac instead, copy the source, select the destination, and press Command + V.
In Excel for the web, open a workbook you can edit, copy the source cells, and select the destination. Choose Home > Paste > Paste Formatting.
Extend formatting into adjacent cells
On Windows or Mac, select the formatted source cells and drag the fill handle down a column or across a row to cover the destination. Open Auto Fill Options and select Fill Formatting Only. Complete that final selection to apply formatting while keeping the destination values.
You can also have Excel extend an established formatting pattern as you enter new rows. On Windows, open File > Options > Advanced and, under Editing options, check Extend data range formats and formulas, then select OK. On Mac, open Excel > Preferences > Edit and check Extend data range formats and formulas.
Enter new rows below the existing range to extend its pattern. Matching formats must occur in at least three of the preceding five rows for this behavior to work. Repeated formulas can extend too, so this setting affects more than formatting.
Match column widths or a whole worksheet
To match column sizes in Windows Excel, copy the source columns and select the destination. Open Home > Paste > Paste Special, select Column widths, then select OK. Column widths have their own paste option, separate from cell formatting.
Choose Keep Source Column Widths when you want to copy contents and widths together. If you need the complete sheet with its contents and formatting, you can copy a worksheet in Excel.
On Windows, right-click the sheet tab, select Move or Copy, and choose the destination workbook and position. Check Create a copy, then select OK. In Excel for the web, right-click the sheet tab and select Duplicate to copy it within the current workbook.
Copy conditional formatting rules
In Windows Excel, select a cell containing the conditional formatting rule you want to copy. Choose Home > Format Painter, drag across the destination, and press Esc. Check the rule's formula references afterward because relative references can change.
To duplicate a rule directly, open Home > Conditional Formatting > Manage Rules. Select the rule and choose Duplicate Rule, then select the duplicate and choose Edit Rule if you need to adjust it. Change Applies to to the destination range and select OK.
To include more cells under the original rule, open Manage Rules and select that rule. Change its Applies to range to include the additional cells, then select OK. You can use this route when you want to maintain one rule across the expanded range.
Save formatting you use repeatedly
To create a reusable cell style in Windows Excel, select the formatted cell and open Home > Cell Styles > New Cell Style. Enter a name in Style name and select OK. Select the destination cells, return to Home > Cell Styles, and choose your style.
To create a variation of an existing style, right-click it and select Duplicate. Cell styles follow the workbook theme, so their appearance can differ when you reuse them in a workbook with another theme.
For a repeated formatting-copy operation on Windows or Mac, start with the Developer tab visible. Choose Developer > Record Macro, enter a Macro name, and select OK. Perform the formatting-copy operation, then choose Developer > Stop Recording.
Replay the recorded operation from the macro controls when you need it again. Macro execution must be permitted, so enable macros for trusted Excel files when needed.
Fix formatting that will not copy
If pasting changes your data, check which paste option you selected. In Windows Excel, Values and number formats and Formulas and number formats also transfer content, while Formats preserves destination contents. If copying or pasting itself fails, follow the steps to fix cut and paste in Excel.
If the fill handle or dragging is unavailable in Windows Excel, open File > Options > Advanced. Under Editing options, check Enable fill handle and cell drag-and-drop, then select OK. On Mac, open Excel > Preferences > Edit and check Allow fill handle and cell drag-and-drop.
If worksheet protection prevents formatting changes in Windows Excel and you own the sheet, open Review > Unprotect Sheet. Enter the password when requested. When protecting it again through Review > Protect Sheet, check Format cells and select OK to permit formatting. In Excel for the web, select Review > Manage Protection and turn off Protect sheet. When you turn protection back on there, the Format cells option permits changes in the Font and Alignment groups of the Home tab.
If column sizes still differ, use the separate Column widths paste option. If conditional formatting behaves differently, open Manage Rules and inspect the rule's formula references and Applies to range. Copying the rule can change relative references, so adjust them for the destination cells.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you bring saved cell styles into another workbook?
Yes, in Windows Excel, open both workbooks, activate the destination, and select Home > Cell Styles > Merge Styles. Choose the source under Merge styles from and select OK; for duplicate names, select Yes to replace destination styles or No to retain them. Select the destination cells and apply the imported style through Cell Styles.
Can you reuse the same formatting on another Excel table?
Yes, select the destination table and choose the source table's style under Home > Format as Table. To create a custom style, select a source-table cell, choose Format as Table > New Table Style, define and name the style, then apply it to the destination table. Custom table styles stay in the current workbook, and applying a table style to an ordinary range converts that range into a table.
How do you copy chart formatting in Excel?
Right-click the source chart, select Save as Template, give it a name, and select Save. Select the destination chart, open Chart Design > Change Chart Type > Templates, and choose the saved template. On Windows, Templates is under All Charts.
Can you save workbook colors and fonts for another file?
Yes, in Windows Excel, select Page Layout > Themes > Save Current Theme, name the theme, and select Save. Apply the saved theme in the destination workbook through Page Layout > Themes. This reproduces theme colors, fonts, and effects without copying every cell format.