Excel 2003's Format Painter

Copy formatting with the format painter

Formatting Spreadsheets using Format Painter

Adding formatting to your spreadsheet not only makes it more attractive and easier to read, but it can make it easier for users to find the information they are after.

To quickly copy formatting from one part of a sheet to another, or to another sheet in the same workbook, use the Format Painter.

Format Painter is very useful when you are extending a spreadsheet to accommodate new data and need to format the new cells to match the original data area.

To use Format Painter to copy formatting options to one cell

1. Add all the formatting options you want to use to at least one cell.
2. Click on that cell with the mouse pointer to make it the active cell.
3. Click on the Format Painter icon on the formatting toolbar.
4. Click on the cell that you want to copy the formatting to.

To use Format Painter to copy formatting options to adjacent cells

1. Add all the formatting options you want to use to at least one cell.
2. Click on that cell with the mouse pointer to make it the active cell.
3. Click on the Format Painter icon on the formatting toolbar.
4. Click on the first cell and then drag the mouse pointer to select additional cells.

To use Format Painter to copy formatting options to non-adjacent cells

1. Add all the formatting options you want to use to at least one cell.
2. Click on that cell with the mouse pointer to make it the active cell.
3. Double click on the Format Painter icon on the formatting toolbar.
4. Click on the first cell you want to copy the formatting to and then continue clicking on additional cells to copy the formatting to these cells as well.
5. Click on the Format Painter icon on the formatting toolbar to turn it off.