How to use MIN in Excel
The smallest number.
Syntax
number1A range of numbers[number2]More numbers or ranges optionalExample
Here’s MIN on a small table of orders. The highlighted cells are the ones the formula reads.
=MIN(D2:D9)Edit this formula live Change the ranges and watch the answer update. Free, no sign-up.
Common mistakes with MIN
Blank cells aren’t zero
MIN ignores empty cells, so a column with gaps won’t return 0. If you need blanks treated as 0, fill them in first.
Text numbers are ignored
Values stored as text aren’t considered, so the smallest “number” may be missing from the answer.
What the error messages mean
Type these slips into Gridwise and this is the feedback you get:
Leaving off the closing bracket
=MIN(D2:D9
Parentheses don’t match. You have 1 opening and 0 closing parentheses. Every ( needs a ).
Questions
What does the MIN function do in Excel?
The smallest number. The syntax is MIN(number1, [number2], …).
Why is my MIN formula giving the wrong answer?
Blank cells aren’t zero: MIN ignores empty cells, so a column with gaps won’t return 0. If you need blanks treated as 0, fill them in first. Text numbers are ignored: Values stored as text aren’t considered, so the smallest “number” may be missing from the answer.
Does MIN 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.