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Excel guide · 2 min read

How to calculate percent change in Excel

Quick answerSubtract the old value from the new value and divide by the old value: =(C2-B2)/B2. Format the result as Percent. A positive result is an increase, a negative one is a decrease.

Sample data

Every result on this page was calculated from this sheet by the same spreadsheet engine the Cellwise app uses.

ABC
1Product2025 sales2026 sales
2Notebooks12001500
3Pens800680
4Markers0150
5Folders450450
6Net profit-200100

The percent change formula

Percent change is the difference divided by where you started. Notebooks went from 1,200 to 1,500, a rise of 300. Divide 300 by the starting 1,200 and you get 0.25.

Put the formula in D2, format column D as Percent (Ctrl+Shift+%), and fill down. The brackets matter: without them Excel divides first and subtracts second.

=(C2-B2)/B2

Result: 0.25 shows as 25% with Percent format

Returns 0.25, which shows as 25% once the cell is formatted as Percent.

A shorter version: new/old - 1

=C2/B2-1 gives exactly the same answer, because new divided by old tells you the ratio and subtracting 1 strips out the starting amount. Pick whichever you find easier to read. A drop gives a negative number.

=C3/B3-1

Result: -0.15 shows as -15% with Percent format

Pens fell from 800 to 680, so this returns -0.15, or -15%.

When the old value is zero

Growth from zero has no percentage. Markers went from 0 to 150, and dividing by 0 gives #DIV/0!. Decide what you want to show instead and wrap the formula in IFERROR, or test for zero with IF.

=IFERROR((C4-B4)/B4,"New")

Result: New

Shows "New" instead of #DIV/0! because the starting value is 0.

When the old value is negative

With a negative start, the plain formula flips the sign. Profit moving from -200 to 100 is clearly an improvement, but (100-(-200))/-200 gives -150%. Dividing by the absolute value of the old number keeps the direction right.

Treat this result with care in reports. Many finance teams show "n/m" (not meaningful) for changes from a loss to a profit.

=(C6-B6)/ABS(B6)

Result: 1.5 shows as 150% with Percent format

Returns 1.5, a 150% improvement, with the correct positive sign.

Percent change vs percentage points

If the values are already percentages, be clear about which change you mean. A conversion rate moving from 4% to 5% is a change of 1 percentage point, but a 25% percent change. Subtract for points (=C2-B2), use the formula above for percent change.

Common mistakes

Dividing by the new value

Always divide by the starting (old) value. =(C2-B2)/C2 understates growth and overstates drops.

Missing brackets

=C2-B2/B2 calculates B2/B2 first and returns 1499. Use =(C2-B2)/B2.

Seeing 0.25 instead of 25%

The math is right, the format is not. Select the cells and press Ctrl+Shift+% to apply Percent Style.

FAQ

What is the formula for percentage increase in Excel?

=(new-old)/old, for example =(C2-B2)/B2, formatted as Percent. The same formula gives a negative result for a decrease.

How do I calculate percentage decrease in Excel?

Use the same formula. A drop from 800 to 680 returns -15%. If you want the decrease as a positive number, use =(B2-C2)/B2.

Why do I get #DIV/0! for percent change?

The old value is 0 or blank. A change from nothing has no percentage, so wrap the formula in IFERROR and show something like "New" or a blank.

How do I show an up or down arrow with percent change?

Use a custom number format such as ▲0%;▼0%;0% (Home > Number > More Number Formats > Custom). The first part applies to positives, the second to negatives.

Functions used

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