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How do you drag an array formula?

Author

Penelope Carter

Updated on February 24, 2026

How do you drag an array formula?

Expand an array formula
  1. Select the range of cells that contains your current array formula, plus the empty cells next to the new data.
  2. Press F2. Now you can edit the formula.
  3. Replace the old range of data cells with the new one.
  4. Press Ctrl+Shift+Enter.

Likewise, people ask, how do you drag down an array formula?

Use 'Edit' > 'Fill' > 'Down' (default shortcut: Ctrl+D) after selecting the range to fill. You may also press Ctrl in addition to dragging the "little square".

Also Know, how do you copy and paste an array formula in Excel? Copy the table below and paste it into Excel in cell A1. Be sure to select cells E2:E11, enter the formula =C2:C11*D2:D11, and then press Ctrl+Shift+Enter to make it an array formula.

Beside above, how do you trigger an array formula?

Important: Press Ctrl+Shift+Enter whenever you need to enter an array formula. This applies to both single-cell and multi-cell formulas. Whenever you work with multi-cell formulas, also remember: Select the range of cells to hold your results before you enter the formula.

How do you fill down an array in Excel?

You must press the Ctrl+Shift+Enter shortcut to complete an array formula. Every time you edit an array formula, the braces disappear and you must press Ctrl+Shift+Enter again to save the changes.

How do you edit an array?

To edit the contents of an array formula, follow these steps:
  1. Select a cell in the array range and then activate Edit mode by clicking the formula in the Formula bar or pressing F2.
  2. Edit the array formula contents.
  3. Press Ctrl+Shift+Enter to enter your changes.

Can you copy paste an array formula?

1 Answer. If the array formula is in cell B2, and you want to copy and paste the formula to cells B3:B10, you can ONLY paste the formulas to cells B3:B10. You can't include cell B2 when you paste the formulas or you will get a "you cannot change part of an array" error message.

How do you paste an array?

Right-click the array shell border and select Data Operations»Paste Data from the shortcut menu to paste data. After you have pasted the selection, notice that one border remains highlighted around the pasted data. This is an insertion point and remains in the array.

How do you edit an array formula in Excel?

Procedure
  1. Click the cell in the spreadsheet that contains the array formula.
  2. Click the formula bar at the top of the screen.
  3. Edit the formula that appears in this bar. To exit a formula array without editing it, press the Esc key.
  4. Press Ctrl+Shift+Enter.

How do you autofill in Excel without dragging?

Simply do the following:
  1. Select the cell with the formula and the adjacent cells you want to fill.
  2. Click Home > Fill, and choose either Down, Right, Up, or Left. Keyboard shortcut: You can also press Ctrl+D to fill the formula down in a column, or Ctrl+R to fill the formula to the right in a row.

What does you can't change part of an array mean?

You can't delete cells in an array formula (you'll see a "You cannot change part of an array" error), but you can delete the entire formula and start over. You can't add new cells to a block of result cells, but you can add new data to your worksheet and then expand your formula.

Is Vlookup an array formula?

The VLOOKUP function can be combined with other functions such as the Sum, Max, or Average to calculate values in multiple columns. As this is an array formula, to make it work we simply need to press CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER at the end of the formula. A very powerful feature for any serious analyst!

How do you control SHIFT enter on a Mac?

To enter the array formula you must press CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER, that is hold down CTRL and SHIFT and then press ENTER releasing all of them together. If you use a Mac it's COMMAND+RETURN.

How do I use an array formula in Google Sheets?

To use it in Google Sheets, you can either directly type “ARRAYFORMULA†or hit a Ctrl+Shift+Enter shortcut (Cmd + Shift + Enter on a Mac), while your cursor is in the formula bar to make a formula an array formula (Google Sheets will automatically add ARRAYFORMULA to the start of the formula).

How do I turn on shift enter in Excel?

  1. Double-click the cell in which you want to insert a line break (or select the cell and then press F2).
  2. Click the location inside the selected cell where you want to break the line.
  3. Press Alt+Enter to insert the line break.

How do you use an array table in Excel?

Create a Basic Array Formula
  1. Enter the data in a blank worksheet.
  2. Enter the formula for your array.
  3. Press and hold the Ctrl and Shift keys.
  4. Press the Enter key.
  5. Release the Ctrl and Shift keys.
  6. The result appears in cell F1 and the array appears in the Formula Bar.

What is an array formula in Google Sheets?

What are array formulas in Google Sheets? Per the official definition, array formulas enable the display of values returned into multiple rows and/or columns and the use of non-array functions with arrays. In a nutshell: whereas a normal formula outputs a single value, array formulas output a range of cells!

How do I extend an array formula in Excel?

Expand an array formula
  1. Select the range of cells that contains your current array formula, plus the empty cells next to the new data.
  2. Press F2. Now you can edit the formula.
  3. Replace the old range of data cells with the new one.
  4. Press Ctrl+Shift+Enter.

What does {} mean in Excel formula?

Entering An Array Formula

Press CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER to confirm this formula (instead of just pressing ENTER). This will produce curly brackets {} around the formula. These curly brackets are how Excel recognises an array formula. They cannot be entered manually, they must be produced by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER.

How do I copy an array from one Excel spreadsheet to another?

Re: Copy cells from one sheet to another

Confirm with Ctrl+Shift+Enter and then copy it across to next column and down the rows.

How does an array formula work in Excel?

An array formula allows you to perform multiple calculations at once, or, it can perform one or more calculations multiple times within a selected cell range. The values referred to in these formulas can appear as values in a row, in a column, or in a matrix (rows and columns).

How do you make a dynamic array in Excel?

A dynamic array formula is entered in one cell and completed with a regular Enter keystroke. To complete an old-fashioned array formula, you need to press Ctrl + Shift + Enter. New array formulas spill to many cells automatically. CSE formulas must be copied to a range of cells to return multiple results.

How do you copy an array in Excel 2013?

Press Ctrl+Shift+Enter to insert an array formula in the array range. When you press Ctrl+Shift+Enter to complete the formula, Excel inserts braces around the formula and copies the array formula {=A4:A7*R4:R7} into each of the cells in the array range R10:R13.

What is Ctrl Shift Enter?

Ctrl Shift-Enter is one of the shortcuts used in Excel to perform the calculations with array formulae. It supports in performing complex calculation using the standard excel functions. It is widely used in the array formulae to apply functions and formulas on a set of data.

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