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Percentage Formula in Excel: How to Calculate Percentages

Excel has no PERCENTAGE function: percentages are just division and multiplication, displayed with the % format. These are the formulas you'll need most, with examples.

Excel CSE · 2 min read

How percentages work in Excel

To Excel, 25% is simply the number 0.25. The % format multiplies the display by 100 and adds the sign. So:

• Calculate the fraction (like =B2/B7), then press Ctrl+Shift+% or click the % button to show it as a percentage.
• You can type percentages directly: =A2*20% is the same as =A2*0.2.
• Don't multiply by 100 yourself and apply the % format, or 25% becomes 2500%.

Percentage of a total

Divide each part by the total, format as %, and copy down. The dollar signs keep the total fixed when copying: see absolute references.

Percentage change (increase or decrease)

• From 80 to 100: =(100-80)/80 = 25% increase.
• From 100 to 80: =(80-100)/100 = -20%, a decrease.

With last year in B2 and this year in C2: =(C2-B2)/B2. If the old value can be 0, wrap it in IFERROR to avoid #DIV/0!.

Increase or decrease a number by a percentage

• Add 21% VAT: =A2*(1+21%). 100 becomes 121.
• Give a 15% discount: =A2*(1-15%). 100 becomes 85.
• Just the percentage amount: =A2*21%. 21 on 100.

To change a whole column in place without formulas, use Paste Special › Multiply.

Work backwards: the price before VAT

If 121 includes 21% VAT, the price before VAT is =121/(1+21%) = 100. A common mistake is =121*(1-21%), which gives 95.59.

X is what percentage of Y?

Divide the part by the whole: 30 out of 120 is =30/120 = 25%. In a spreadsheet: =B2/C2, formatted as a percentage.