How to Count Blank or Empty Cells in Google Sheets

Use the COUNTBLANK function to count cells with null values

What to Know

  • Select a cell to make it active. Type =COUNTBLANK and press the Enter key.
  • Choose a range that includes blank or empty cells. Press Enter.
  • The total number of cells chosen appears in the cell where you entered the =COUNTBLANK function.

This article explains how to count the blank or empty cells in Google Sheets using the COUNTBLANK function.

COUNTBLANK Function's Syntax and Arguments

Google Sheets supports several functions that count the number of cells in a selected range containing a specific type of data. The COUNTBLANK function calculates the number of cells in a selected range with null values.

A function's syntax refers to the layout of the function, including its name, brackets, comma separators, and arguments. The syntax for the COUNTBLANK function is as follows:

=COUNTBLANK(range)

The COUNTBLANK function includes both cells with no data and cells with formulas that have a blank or null value in its count.

How to Use the COUNTBLANK Function

Unlike Excel, Google Sheets doesn't have dialog boxes for entering a function's arguments. Instead, it has an auto-suggest box that appears as the name of the function is typed.

To count the number of blank cells in a range with the COUNTBLANK function:

  1. Select any cell to make it the active cell.

    Select any cell to make it the active cell.
  2. Type =COUNTBLANK and press the Enter key.

    Alternatively, select =COUNTBLANK from the auto-suggest box as it appears while you're typing.

    Type =COUNTBLANK and press the Enter key.
  3. Select a range of cells to include that range in the function's argument.

    To highlight multiple cells simultaneously, hold the Shift key as you make your selection.

    Select a range of cells to include them in the function's argument.
  4. Press Enter to complete the function. The number of blank cells within the range appears in the cell where you entered the COUNTBLANK function.

You can also use the COUNTIF and COUNTIFS functions to calculate the number of empty cells in a range.

Was this page helpful?