totn Excel Functions

MS Excel: How to use the COUNT Function (WS)

This Excel tutorial explains how to use the Excel COUNT function with syntax and examples.

Description

The Microsoft Excel COUNT function counts the number of cells that contain numbers as well as the number of arguments that contain numbers.

The COUNT function is a built-in function in Excel that is categorized as a Statistical Function. It can be used as a worksheet function (WS) in Excel. As a worksheet function, the COUNT function can be entered as part of a formula in a cell of a worksheet.

Syntax

The syntax for the COUNT function in Microsoft Excel is:

COUNT( argument1, [argument2, ... argument_n] )

Parameters or Arguments

argument1, argument2, ... argument_n
Either ranges of cells or values. There can be up to 30 arguments.

Returns

The COUNT function returns a numeric value.

Applies To

  • Excel for Office 365, Excel 2019, Excel 2016, Excel 2013, Excel 2011 for Mac, Excel 2010, Excel 2007, Excel 2003, Excel XP, Excel 2000

Type of Function

  • Worksheet function (WS)

Example (as Worksheet Function)

Let's look at some Excel COUNT function examples and explore how to use the COUNT function as a worksheet function in Microsoft Excel:

Microsoft Excel

Based on the Excel spreadsheet above, the following COUNT examples would return:

=COUNT(A1:A6)
Result: 3

=COUNT(A1:A6, 129)
Result: 4

=COUNT(A1:A6, 129, "techonthenet")
Result: 4

=COUNT(A1:A6, 129, "techonthenet", -2)
Result: 5