Multiply by a percentage in Excel

Applies To
Excel for Microsoft 365 Excel 2024 Excel 2021 Excel 2019 Excel 2016

Note

If you need to find the percentage of a total or find the percentage of change between two numbers, you can learn more in the article Calculate percentages.

Change an amount by a percentage

Let's say you need to decrease—or want to increase—your weekly food expenditures by 25%. To calculate the amount, use a formula to subtract or add a percentage.

In this example, we set column B to contain the amount currently spent, and column C is the percentage by which to reduce that amount. Here's is a formula you could enter in cell D2 to accomplish this:

=B2*(1-C2)

In this formula, 1 is equivalent to 100%. The values inside the parentheses calculate first, so ther value of C2 is subtracted from 1, to give us 75%. The result is multiplied by B2 to get a result of 56.25 for Week 1.

Percentage results in column D

To copy the formula in cell D2 down the column, double-click the small square green box in the lower-right corner of cell D2. You get the results in all of the other cells without retyping or copying-and-pasting the formula.

To increase the amount by 25%, simply replace the ⁠+⁠ sign in the formula in cell D2 sign to a minus (⁠-⁠):

=B2*(1+C2)

Then double-click the fill-down handle again.

Multiply an entire column of numbers by a percentage

Consider an example table like the one in the figure, in which we've got a few numbers to multiply by 15 percent. Even if the column has 100 or 1,000 cells of data, Excel can still handle it in a few steps.

Numbers in column A, in cells A1 through A5, 15% in cell B1

Here's how to do it:

  1. Enter the numbers you want to multiply by 15% into a column.
  2. In an empty cell, enter the percentage of 15% (or 0.15), and then copy that number by pressing Ctrl-C.
  3. Select the range of cells A1:A5 (by dragging down the column).
  4. Right-click over the cell selection, and then select Paste Special (do not click the arrow next to Paste Special).
    Paste special command, which comes into view after copying a cell, and then selecting a column or row of cells, and then right clickin
  5. Select Values > Multiply, then select OK.
    The result is that all the numbers are multiplied by 15%.
    Numbers in column A multiplied by 15%

Tip

You can also multiply the column to subtract a percentage. To subtract 15%, add a negative sign in front of the percentage, and subtract the percentage from 1, using the formula =1-n%, in which n is the percentage. To subtract 15%, use =1-15% as the formula.