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How to format a number with thousands separator in Excel and Google Sheets
Excel & Google Sheets
=TEXT(B2,"#,##0")✓
Verified example
Computed by a real spreadsheet engine on the sample data below.
| Number | Formatted Number |
| 1234567 | |
| 890123.45 | |
| 456 |
=TEXT(B2,"#,##0")→0,##0
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Step by step
- 1Select the cell or range of cells containing the numbers you want to format.
- 2Right-click the selected cells and choose 'Format Cells' in Excel or 'Format' > 'Number' > 'More formats' > 'Custom number format' in Google Sheets.
- 3In the format cells dialog, enter '#,##0' in the format code field and click OK.
Tips
- Ensure your locale settings match your desired thousands separator format.
- This method formats the display but not the underlying value, which remains unchanged for calculations.
- For decimal numbers, use '#,##0.00' to include two decimal places.
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Frequently asked
Can I apply this formatting to multiple cells at once?
Yes, select all the cells you want to format before following the steps.
What if my number has decimals?
Use '#,##0.00' in the format code to include two decimal places.
Does this change the actual value of the number?
No, it only changes how the number is displayed.