---
title: "Absolute Cell Reference in Excel"  
description: "Absolute Cell Reference in Excel"  
author: "AVADHESH PATEL"  
published: 2013-03-25  
updated: 2019-09-07  
canonical: https://www.mindstick.com/articles/1164/absolute-cell-reference-in-excel  
category: "excel"  
tags: ["excel"]  
reading_time: 2 minutes  

---

# Absolute Cell Reference in Excel

In Excel and other spreadsheets, an [absolute](https://www.mindstick.com/interview/1159/what-is-absolute-and-sliding-expiration-in-dot-net) cell [reference](https://www.mindstick.com/forum/34619/call-by-value-and-call-by-reference) identifies the [location](https://www.mindstick.com/news/2574/twitter-conveniently-reveals-a-location-sharing-policy-amid-elonjet-controversy) a cell or group of cells. Cell references are used in formulas, [functions](https://www.mindstick.com/forum/34086/jquery-callback-functions), [charts](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/157141/understanding-bar-charts-and-column-charts), and other Excel commands. An absolute cell reference consists of the [column](https://www.mindstick.com/forum/2288/column-site_name-ambiguous-problem) letter and row number surrounded by dollar signs ($).

An example of an absolute cell reference would be $C$4, $G$15, or $A$345.

Note: An absolute cell reference is used when you want a cell reference to stay fixed on a specific cell. This means that as a [formula](https://yourviews.mindstick.com/view/81488/usa-needs-masks-for-all-formula-in-corona-pandemic) or [function](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/43970/purchase-suitable-wedding-dresses-for-your-wedding-function) is copied and pasted to other cells, the cell references in the formula or function do not change.

By contrast, most cell references in a [spreadsheet](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/31730/explain-spreadsheet-and-its-basics) are [relative](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/105067/how-to-trade-with-the-relative-vigor-index) cell references, which change when copied and pasted to other cells.

$A$1 (absolute column and absolute row) - $A$1 (the reference is absolute)

A$1 (relative column and absolute row) - C$1 (the reference is mixed)

$A1 (absolute column and relative row) - $A3 (the reference is mixed)

A1 (relative column and relative row) - C3 (the reference is relative)

For example see figure 1:

##### Figure 1:

![Absolute Cell Reference in Excel](https://www.mindstick.com/mindstickarticle/70ad5bfe-f1f6-4252-8d33-85d7881ad7a4/images/f040b0b4-7e83-4c0c-91c5-057e1e8aa88a.png)

In Figure 1, for copy data from cell A2 to D2, type formula =A2 and press enter. Data are copy successfully but when we try to copy this data to another cell it not copy, it set cell value as 0. See figure 2.

##### Figure 2:

![Absolute Cell Reference in Excel](https://www.mindstick.com/mindstickarticle/70ad5bfe-f1f6-4252-8d33-85d7881ad7a4/images/5e161b49-2d43-4b9c-a0f1-95e9b1a78cad.png)

Now, we copy data from cell A2 to D2 using absolute formula. Type formula =$A$2 into D2 cell (Figure 3) and press enter. Data are copy successfully and when we try to copy this data to another cell it copy successfully, See figure 4.

##### Figure 3:

![Absolute Cell Reference in Excel](https://www.mindstick.com/mindstickarticle/70ad5bfe-f1f6-4252-8d33-85d7881ad7a4/images/dfb881ba-e363-4461-9a93-bb4f7505c65a.png)

##### Figure 4:

![Absolute Cell Reference in Excel](https://www.mindstick.com/mindstickarticle/70ad5bfe-f1f6-4252-8d33-85d7881ad7a4/images/3008fe82-75b1-498e-ba1e-680ab151a1ba.png)

---

Original Source: https://www.mindstick.com/articles/1164/absolute-cell-reference-in-excel

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