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Excel multiplication uses the asterisk (*). Start every formula with an equal sign, then place the values, cell references, or ranges you want to multiply: =5*10 returns 50, and =A2*B2 multiplies the values in cells A2 and B2. For larger jobs, use PRODUCT, SUMPRODUCT, a fixed reference such as $B$2, or Paste Special’s Multiply operation.
This guide shows which method fits each situation, how to copy formulas without changing the wrong reference, how to multiply by a percentage, how to overwrite values in place, and how current and older Excel versions handle array calculations.
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The basic Excel multiplication formula
Excel does not use a special multiplication word in an ordinary formula. It uses the asterisk key. The equal sign tells Excel that what follows is a formula rather than text.
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|---|---|---|
| Two constants | =5*10 |
50 |
| Two cells | =A2*B2 |
Multiplies the current values in A2 and B2 |
| A cell by a constant | =A2*12 |
Multiplies A2 by 12 |
| Several values | =PRODUCT(A2:A4) |
Multiplies every value in A2 through A4 |
“All formulas begin with an equal sign (=).” — Microsoft, “Enter a formula.”
Type the formula in a blank cell and press Enter. The result changes automatically when a referenced cell changes. If you see the formula itself instead of its result, check whether the cell is formatted as Text, then change it to General and re-enter the formula.
Multiply two numbers or two cells
Multiplying numbers typed directly into a formula
For a one-off calculation, select a cell, type =18*7, and press Enter. Excel returns 126. Direct numbers are useful for quick checks, but cell references are usually better in a worksheet because you can update the inputs without rewriting the formula.
Multiplying values stored in cells
- Put the first number in A2 and the second number in B2.
- Select the cell where you want the answer, such as C2.
- Enter
=A2*B2. - Press Enter. C2 displays the product.
The references are relative by default. If you copy =A2*B2 from C2 to C3, Excel changes it to =A3*B3. That is the desired behavior when each row contains its own pair of values.
Multiplying several separate cells
You can continue adding asterisks, as in =A2*B2*C2. For a long list, PRODUCT is easier to read and less prone to a missed operator.
Multiply an entire column by one fixed number
A common worksheet has changing values in one column and one constant multiplier elsewhere. For example, quantities are in A2:A20 and the multiplier is in B2. Enter the following in C2:
=A2*$B$2
The dollar signs make B2 an absolute reference. When you fill the formula down, A2 becomes A3, A4, and so on, while B2 remains fixed.
- Enter the constant multiplier in B2.
- In C2, enter
=A2*$B$2. - Press Enter and verify the first result.
- Use the fill handle—the small square at the lower-right corner of the selected cell—to drag the formula down, or double-click the fill handle beside an adjacent data column.
| Reference | What happens when copied from row 2 to row 3 | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
A2 |
Becomes A3 |
The input should move with each row |
$A$2 |
Stays $A$2 |
Both row and column must remain fixed |
$A2 |
Column A stays fixed; row changes to 3 | You are copying across and down while keeping one column |
A$2 |
Row 2 stays fixed; column can change | You are copying across while keeping one row |
You can also press F4 while editing a reference to cycle through relative and absolute forms. Use this when a formula must be copied across a table as well as down a column.
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The syntax is PRODUCT(number1, [number2], ...). It multiplies all supplied numbers, cell references, and ranges. Microsoft documents support for up to 255 arguments in one PRODUCT call.
Examples
=PRODUCT(A2:A4)multiplies the three cells in A2 through A4.=PRODUCT(A2:A4,2)multiplies A2, A3, and A4 together, then multiplies that result by 2.=PRODUCT(A2,B2,C2)multiplies three individual cells.=PRODUCT(A2:A4,C2:C4)includes both ranges as one list of values; it does not pair rows and add products. Use SUMPRODUCT for that paired behavior.
In referenced arrays, PRODUCT ignores empty cells, logical values, and text. A number stored as text may therefore not participate as you expect. If a value should count, convert it to a real number, for example by re-entering it, using VALUE, or checking for imported text and stray spaces.
When PRODUCT is clearer than asterisks
Use PRODUCT when there are many factors, when ranges make the formula easier to maintain, or when you may add another input later. A formula such as =A2*B2*C2*D2*E2 works, but =PRODUCT(A2:E2) makes the intended range immediately visible.
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Multiply two columns and total the row products with SUMPRODUCT
SUMPRODUCT(array1, [array2], ...) multiplies corresponding entries and then adds those products. If quantities are in A2:A10 and unit prices are in B2:B10, enter:
=SUMPRODUCT(A2:A10,B2:B10)
Excel calculates A2×B2, A3×B3, and every other matching row, then returns one grand total. This is useful for invoices, inventory values, scores weighted by percentages, and any calculation where each row contributes a product to a total.
Range requirements and errors
- The array arguments should have matching dimensions. A2:A10 paired with B2:B10 has seven rows; pairing it with B2:B9 does not.
- Mismatched ranges produce
#VALUE!. - Nonnumeric entries in the arrays are treated as zero.
- A blank or text label in one row therefore contributes zero for that row rather than a numeric product.
Avoid full-column references such as =SUMPRODUCT(A:A,B:B) unless you have a specific reason. Excel would process 1,048,576 cells per column, which can make recalculation unnecessarily expensive. Use the actual used range, an Excel Table column, or a bounded range such as A2:A5000.
SUMPRODUCT versus PRODUCT
| Need | Recommended formula | Output |
|---|---|---|
| Multiply all values in one list | =PRODUCT(A2:A10) |
One product |
| Multiply matching rows and add the products | =SUMPRODUCT(A2:A10,B2:B10) |
One total of paired products |
| Get each row’s product separately | =A2*B2, filled down |
One result per row |
Multiply by a percentage
Multiplying a value by the percentage itself
If C2 contains 25%, the formula =B2*C2 returns one quarter of B2. Excel stores 25% as 0.25, so multiplying by C2 calculates the percentage amount, not the original value plus an increase.
Calculating a percentage increase
For a 25% increase, use =B2*(1+C2) when C2 contains 25%. The 1 preserves the original 100%, and C2 adds the extra 25%. For a 25% reduction, use =B2*(1-C2).
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| Goal | Formula when C2 is 25% | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Find 25% of B2 | =B2*C2 |
Returns 0.25 × B2 |
| Increase B2 by 25% | =B2*(1+C2) |
Returns 1.25 × B2 |
| Decrease B2 by 25% | =B2*(1-C2) |
Returns 0.75 × B2 |
Apply the same multiplier to existing values with Paste Special
Paste Special can multiply the selected values in place instead of creating a second result column. Microsoft defines the Multiply operation as multiplying the values in the paste area by the copied values.
- Enter the multiplier in a spare cell. For a 25% multiplication, enter
25%; for doubling, enter2. - Select that cell and press Ctrl+C.
- Select the target range whose stored values should change.
- Open the Paste menu and choose Paste Special.
- Under Operation, select Multiply, then confirm with OK.
- Clear the temporary multiplier cell if you no longer need it.
This changes the selected cells themselves and removes the original values from those cells. Make a copy of the worksheet or use a formula column first if you may need to restore the unmultiplied numbers. Paste Special is appropriate for a deliberate one-time adjustment; a formula is safer when the source values or multiplier will change again.
Multiply two ranges with array formulas
Current Excel versions that support dynamic arrays can return corresponding products from a single formula. If C2:C11 and D2:D11 contain matching lists, enter this in E2:
=C2:C11*D2:D11
Excel spills the ten row-by-row results below E2. Keep the spill area empty; any existing content in the way causes a spill error. The two ranges must represent the same number of rows for the pairing to make sense.
Older Excel versions
Older versions that do not support dynamic arrays require you to select the entire output range first, enter the same array formula, and press Ctrl+Shift+Enter rather than Enter. Excel displays the formula with braces in the formula bar to indicate a legacy array formula. Do not type the braces yourself.
If you only need one total, =SUMPRODUCT(C2:C11,D2:D11) avoids a separate spilled result column and works for the paired-and-summed calculation.
Understand operator order and use parentheses
Excel evaluates operators in this order: Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division, then Addition and Subtraction (PEMDAS). Multiplication and division have the same precedence and are evaluated from left to right.
| Formula | How Excel groups it | Result |
|---|---|---|
=2+3*4 |
2 + (3×4) | 14 |
=(2+3)*4 |
(2+3) × 4 | 20 |
=100/5*2 |
(100÷5) × 2 | 40 |
=100/(5*2) |
100 ÷ (5×2) | 10 |
When the intended grouping matters, add parentheses even if you know the precedence rules. They make a worksheet easier for someone else to audit and prevent a later edit from changing the meaning.
Why Excel may show a date or an error
A division or multiplication expression appears as a date
If Excel interprets an entry as a date, begin the expression with =. For example, type =6/2 rather than 6/2. The equal-sign rule applies to multiplication as well: enter =6*2. If the cell remains date-formatted, change its number format to General or Number.
The formula returns #VALUE!
- Check SUMPRODUCT ranges for unequal lengths or shapes.
- Look for text where a number is expected, including numbers imported with leading apostrophes or spaces.
- Inspect each referenced cell individually to find an error value being propagated into the multiplication.
The result is zero or unexpectedly small
- Confirm that a percentage is stored as 25% rather than the whole number 25. Multiplying by 25 means twenty-five times the value; multiplying by 25% means one quarter.
- For SUMPRODUCT, check for labels, blanks, or nonnumeric entries in either array; those entries contribute zero.
- Check that a fixed multiplier was entered in the intended cell and that the formula points to it.
Copied formulas use the wrong multiplier
If a formula such as =A2*B2 is filled down, B2 changes to B3, B4, and so on. If B2 is meant to remain constant, edit the formula to =A2*$B$2 before copying it.
A dynamic-array formula will not spill
Clear every cell in the expected output area. A value, space, or another formula can block the spill. Also confirm that the source ranges have compatible dimensions and that you are using an Excel edition with dynamic-array support.
Choose the right multiplication method
| Your situation | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Two numbers or two cells | =A2*B2 |
Direct and easy to copy by row |
| One column multiplied by one constant | =A2*$B$2 |
Keeps the multiplier fixed while the input row changes |
| Many values treated as one product | =PRODUCT(range) |
Handles a list or up to 255 supplied arguments |
| Two paired columns rolled into one total | =SUMPRODUCT(range1,range2) |
Multiplies matching rows and adds the products |
| Change existing values directly | Paste Special → Operation → Multiply | Overwrites the selected cells in place |
| Return a result for every row from two ranges | =C2:C11*D2:D11 |
Spills results in current dynamic-array Excel |
| Same array task in older Excel | Legacy array formula with Ctrl+Shift+Enter | Provides a fixed output range when dynamic arrays are unavailable |
A practical example: quantity, price, discount, and total
Suppose a worksheet has item quantities in A2:A8, unit prices in B2:B8, and a discount rate in F2.
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- In C2, enter
=A2*B2to calculate each line’s undiscounted amount, then fill down to C8. - In D2, enter
=C2*$F$2to calculate the discount amount while keeping F2 fixed, then fill down. - In E2, enter
=C2-D2for each discounted line total, then fill down. - To obtain one grand total without a helper column, enter
=SUMPRODUCT(A2:A8,B2:B8)*(1-F2).
The helper-column approach makes every row auditable. The SUMPRODUCT version is compact, but it assumes the same discount rate applies to every line and that the quantity and price ranges are aligned.
Quick Recap
Final checks before you trust a multiplication result
- Does every formula begin with
=? - Are you using
*, not the letter x? - Should each copied reference move, or should it be absolute with dollar signs?
- Are percentages entered as percentages, and are you calculating a percentage amount versus an increase?
- For SUMPRODUCT, do all arrays have matching dimensions?
- For a dynamic-array formula, is the spill area empty?
- Did you intend to overwrite source cells with Paste Special, or should you preserve the originals?
- Are the cells formatted as Number or General rather than Date or Text?
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