The COUNT function in Excel
COUNT tells you how many cells in a range contain numbers. Dates and times count too, because Excel stores them as numbers. Text, blanks and TRUE/FALSE in the range are skipped. Use it to check how many orders have an amount, how many tests were actually scored, or how much of a column is real data.
Syntax
=COUNT(value1, [value2], ...)
| value1 | The first cell, range or value to count, like C2:C7. |
|---|---|
| value2, ... | Optional. More cells or ranges to include in the same count. |
Try it yourself
This is a live spreadsheet. Type the formula and press Enter.
Some students missed the quiz, marked Absent. In E2, use COUNT to find how many students have a score in B2:B8.
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quiz score | Scored | |||||
| 2 | |||||||
| 3 | Absent | ||||||
| 4 | |||||||
| 5 | |||||||
| 6 | Absent | ||||||
| 7 | |||||||
| 8 | |||||||
| 9 | |||||||
| 10 | |||||||
| 11 |
Tip: COUNT skips the text entries for you. Point it at the score column only.
Examples
=COUNT(C2:C7)→ 4Counts the orders with a numeric amount. The two "pending" cells are text, so they're skipped.
=COUNT(D2:D7)→ 3Dates are numbers to Excel, so this counts how many orders have a ship date. Empty cells are ignored.
=COUNTA(A2:A7)-COUNT(C2:C7)→ 2All orders minus the ones with an amount: how many still need a price. A quick data-quality check.
Example data
| 1 | Order | Customer | Amount | Shipped |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | A-101 | Harbor Café | 480 | 3/3/2025 |
| 3 | A-102 | Lumen Studio | pending | |
| 4 | A-103 | Pine & Co | 1250 | 3/5/2025 |
| 5 | A-104 | Kestrel Labs | 310 | |
| 6 | A-105 | Oak Street Books | pending | |
| 7 | A-106 | Brightway Dental | 795 | 3/7/2025 |
Common mistakes
Using COUNT on text
COUNT returns 0 for a column of names or IDs like
A-101. Use COUNTA to count any non-empty cell.Numbers stored as text
Imported values that look like numbers but are really text aren't counted. If COUNT comes back lower than expected, check for left-aligned numbers and convert them.
Expecting a condition
COUNT has no criteria argument. To count only scores above 50 or orders from one region, use COUNTIF or COUNTIFS.
FAQ
What is the difference between COUNT and COUNTA?+
COUNT counts only numbers (including dates). COUNTA counts every cell that isn't empty, whether it holds text, numbers or errors.
Does COUNT include dates?+
Yes. Excel stores dates and times as numbers, so COUNT includes them. A date typed as text is not counted.
How do I count cells that meet a condition?+
Use COUNTIF for one condition, like =COUNTIF(C2:C7,">500"), or COUNTIFS for several.
Lesson
Master COUNT step by step: COUNT, COUNTA and COUNTBLANK
Count numbers, filled cells and empty cells, a quick way to audit data.