How to Highlight the Active Cell in Excel (Focus Cell)

To highlight the active cell in Excel for Microsoft 365, go to the View tab and select Focus Cell. Excel shades the whole row and column of the selected cell, so you can see at a glance where you are, and the highlight moves as you move. Select the arrow under Focus Cell to change the color. In older versions, you can get a similar effect with conditional formatting and a tiny macro.

Applies to: Focus Cell in Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows and Mac. The conditional formatting method works in Excel 2016 and later.

Method 1: Focus Cell (Microsoft 365)

1. Open the workbook.
2. Go to View and select Focus Cell.
3. To change the color, select the arrow under Focus Cell and choose Focus Cell Color.

Focus Cell only changes the screen view. It doesn’t add any formatting to cells, doesn’t print, and doesn’t affect other people opening the file. Turn it off the same way.

If you don’t see Focus Cell, update Office from File > Account > Update Options > Update Now.

Method 2: Conditional formatting (older versions)

Add the rule

1. Select the range to cover, for example A1:Z500.
2. Go to Home > Conditional Formatting > New Rule > Use a formula to determine which cells to format.
3. Enter one of these formulas:
   • Row only: =CELL(“row”)=ROW()
   • Column only: =CELL(“col”)=COLUMN()
   • Row and column: =OR(CELL(“row”)=ROW(),CELL(“col”)=COLUMN())
4. Select Format, choose a light fill color, and select OK twice.

Make it update as you move

CELL only updates when the sheet recalculates, so the highlight lags unless you press F9. To update it automatically, add a small macro:

1. Right-click the sheet tab and choose View Code.
2. Paste this into the window:

   Private Sub Worksheet_SelectionChange(ByVal Target As Range)
       Application.Calculate
   End Sub

3. Close the editor and save the file as an Excel Macro-Enabled Workbook (.xlsm).

On very large workbooks this can slow scrolling, because every move triggers a recalculation.

Method 3: Just check the Name Box

The Name Box to the left of the formula bar always shows the active cell’s address, like C14. You can also type an address there and press Enter to jump to it.

Other ways to keep your place on a big sheet

• Banded rows: select the data and press Ctrl+T to make it a table. Alternating row colors make it much easier to follow a row across the screen, and they print too.
• A quick highlight while checking data: select a row by clicking its number and fill it with a light color from Home > Fill Color. Clear it afterwards with No Fill.
• Split the window: View > Split divides the sheet into panes that scroll separately, so you can compare far-apart rows.
• New Window: View > New Window opens a second view of the same workbook to look at two areas side by side.

Example: checking a long price list

Turn on Focus Cell, click the first product’s price, and press the Down arrow to move through the list. The shaded row lets you read across to the product name and code without losing your line, and the shaded column keeps your eye on the price column. When you’re done, turn Focus Cell off so screenshots and screen shares look normal.

Make the selection easier to see

• Zoom in with Ctrl+mouse wheel on small screens.
• Use Freeze Panes so headings stay visible, for example to freeze the top row and first column.
• On Windows, Settings > Accessibility > Text cursor can make the text cursor thicker when editing inside a cell.

Troubleshooting

The highlight doesn’t move

With Method 2, the macro is missing, macros are disabled, or calculation is set to Manual (Formulas > Calculation Options > Automatic).

Arrow keys scroll instead of moving

Scroll Lock is on. Turning it off will unlock the cursor in Excel.

Frequently asked questions

Does the highlight change cell colors permanently?

No. Focus Cell is view-only, and conditional formatting goes away when you clear the rule.

Can I color cells based on their value instead?

Yes. That uses a different conditional formatting rule, explained in coloring cells in Excel based on value.

If Excel keeps jumping down a row after you type, you can press Enter and stay in the same cell.

Matt Jacobs

Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.

His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.