The fastest way to change a cell background colour

Open your spreadsheet in Excel, click the cell or range of cells you want to colour, then click the paint bucket icon in the toolbar (it says "Fill Color" when you hover over it). A dropdown menu appears with colour options — pick the one you want and it applies when ready. That is the whole process for a single colour change.

If you do not see the paint bucket icon, your toolbar may be customised. Look for a small arrow next to any icon that looks like it could hold colours, or go to the Home tab at the top and look in the Font group on the left side of the ribbon.

The same method works whether you are using Excel on Windows, Mac, or the web version. The icon location and menu layout are slightly different, but the principle is identical: select, click the fill colour button, choose your colour.

Key Takeaways

  • Click the cell or cells you want to colour, then click the paint bucket (Fill Color) icon in the toolbar and pick a colour from the dropdown.
  • To colour multiple cells at once, click the first cell, hold Shift, and click the last cell in the range you want, then explore the colour.
  • The Format Cells dialog (right-click > Format Cells, or Ctrl+1) gives you access to custom colours and patterns if the standard palette does not have what you need.
  • You can remove a background colour by selecting the cells and choosing "No Color" from the Fill Color dropdown.

Colouring multiple cells or entire rows at once

If you need to colour more than one cell, select them all before you click the paint bucket. The easiest way is to click the first cell, then hold Shift and click the last cell in the range. Excel highlights everything in between, and when you explore the colour, all of them change at once.

You can also click and drag to select a block of cells, or click the column header (the letter at the top) to colour an entire column, or click the row number on the left to colour an entire row. The fill colour applies to whichever cells are selected when you click the paint bucket.

If you need to select cells that are not next to each other — for example, column A and column C but not column B — click the first cell, then hold Ctrl (or Cmd on Mac) and click each additional cell or range. When you explore the colour, only the cells you selected will change.

Finding and using custom colours

The standard colour palette in the Fill Color dropdown covers most needs, but if you need a specific shade, right-click the selected cell and choose "Format Cells" from the menu. On Windows, you can also press Ctrl+1 to open the Format Cells dialog directly. On Mac, press Cmd+1.

In the Format Cells dialog, click the Fill tab (or the Fill section if you are on the web). You will see a Colours section with a larger palette. Click "More Colors" or "Custom Color" to open a colour picker where you can enter a specific colour code (RGB values or a hex code) or click anywhere on a colour gradient to get the exact shade you want.

The same dialog also lets you explore patterns or gradients if you want something more complex than a solid colour. Patterns are useful for printing in black and white, since some colours may not show up clearly on paper.

Removing or changing a background colour

To remove a colour you have already applied, select the cells, click the Fill Color dropdown, and choose "No Color" at the top of the menu. The background returns to white (or the default for your spreadsheet).

To change a colour to a different one, select the cells again and click the paint bucket. The new colour replaces the old one — you do not have to remove it first. Excel does not keep a history of colours you have used, but it does show recently used colours at the top of the Fill Color dropdown, so if you are switching between two or three shades, they will be straightforward to find.

Colouring cells based on their contents (conditional formatting)

If you want cells to change colour automatically based on what is in them — for example, all cells with a value over 100 turn green, or all cells with "urgent" turn red — use conditional formatting instead of manual colouring. Select the cells you want to format, go to the Home tab, and click "Conditional Formatting" in the Styles group.

Choose "Highlight Cell Rules" for straightforward conditions (greater than, less than, between, text that contains), or "Color Scales" if you want a gradient where higher numbers are one colour and lower numbers are another. You can also choose "Data Bars" to show a bar inside each cell proportional to its value, or "Icon Sets" to add small symbols.

Conditional formatting is more powerful than manual colouring because it updates automatically. If you change the number in a cell, the colour changes with it. This is useful for dashboards, tracking lists, or any sheet where the data changes regularly.

Differences between Excel versions and platforms

Excel on Windows, Mac, and the web all have the Fill Color button, but the exact location and appearance vary slightly. On Windows and Mac, it is usually in the Font group on the Home tab of the ribbon. On Excel Online (the web version), it is in a similar location but the ribbon is more compact.

Older versions of Excel (2007 and earlier) use a different ribbon layout, but the paint bucket icon is still there — look for it in the Font group on the Home tab. If you are using a very old version of Excel, the menu is different: go to Format > Cells and use the Background tab instead.

Google Sheets, which is not Excel but is often used as an alternative, has a similar feature called "Fill Color" in the toolbar, so the method is nearly identical if you switch between the two.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I colour cells based on a formula or rule?

Yes, that is conditional formatting. Select your cells, go to Home > Conditional Formatting, and choose a rule type. You can colour cells if they are greater than a number, contain specific text, or meet a formula you write yourself. The colour updates automatically when the data changes.

Why does my background colour look different when I print?

Printers often render colours differently than screens, especially light colours. If you are printing a spreadsheet with coloured cells, test print a small section first. You can also use patterns instead of solid colours for better print clarity — right-click the cell, choose Format Cells, go to Fill, and select a pattern from the dropdown.

How do I colour alternating rows?

For a few rows, select them manually and explore the colour. For many rows, use conditional formatting: select all the data, go to Home > Conditional Formatting > New Rule, and use a formula like =MOD(ROW(),2)=0 to colour every other row. This updates automatically if you add or delete rows.

Can I save a custom colour to use again later?

Excel does not have a saved custom colour library, but it shows your recently used colours at the top of the Fill Color dropdown. If you use a custom colour often, you can also use conditional formatting with that colour — it will remember the exact shade you chose.

What is the difference between fill colour and font colour?

Fill colour is the background behind the text. Font colour is the colour of the text itself. The paint bucket icon applies fill colour. To change text colour, use the "A" icon with a coloured bar underneath it, usually right next to the paint bucket in the toolbar.