How to use COUNT in Excel
Counts cells that contain numbers.
Syntax
value1A range to count[value2] optionalExample
Here’s COUNT on a small table of orders. The highlighted cells are the ones the formula reads.
=COUNT(D2:D9)Edit this formula live Change the ranges and watch the answer update. Free, no sign-up.
Common mistakes with COUNT
COUNT only counts numbers
To count names or any non-empty cell, use COUNTA. To count blanks, use COUNTBLANK.
Dates count as numbers
Dates are stored as numbers, so COUNT includes them.
What the error messages mean
Type these slips into Gridwise and this is the feedback you get:
Leaving off the closing bracket
=COUNT(D2:D9
Parentheses don’t match. You have 1 opening and 0 closing parentheses. Every ( needs a ).
Questions
What does the COUNT function do in Excel?
Counts cells that contain numbers. The syntax is COUNT(value1, [value2], …).
Why is my COUNT formula giving the wrong answer?
COUNT only counts numbers: To count names or any non-empty cell, use COUNTA. To count blanks, use COUNTBLANK. Dates count as numbers: Dates are stored as numbers, so COUNT includes them.
Does COUNT work in Google Sheets?
Most Excel functions, including the core ones on this page, work the same way in Google Sheets. A few newer functions arrived in Sheets later or behave slightly differently, so test it on your own data.