Selecting a Cell
Clicking a cell makes it active. Everything you type or format applies to the active cell.
One Cell at a Time
The cell with the thick green border is the active cell. Only one cell is ever active, and it is the one that receives whatever you type next.
- Click a cell — It gets a green border
- Check the Name Box — It shows the address
- Type — The text goes into that cell
How to do it
Click any cell ▸ the green border and the Name Box both confirm which one is active
The small square at the bottom right of the border is the fill handle. Drag it to copy the cell.
| Item | What it does |
|---|---|
| Green border | Marks the active cell |
| Name Box | Confirms the address |
| Fill handle | The small square, bottom right |
| Arrow keys | Move the active cell |
Signs of the Active Cell
Click B7 ▸ green border on B7 ▸ Name Box reads B7
| Clue | Where to look |
|---|---|
| Green border | Around the cell itself |
| Name Box | Left of the formula bar |
| Highlighted heading | Column B and row 7 headings |
| Formula bar | Shows that cell's content |
Result: B7
Four separate parts of the screen agree on which cell is active. Use whichever you notice first.
Do this
- Check the Name Box if you lose track
- Use arrow keys for small moves
- Watch the highlighted row and column headings
Avoid
- Typing into the wrong cell without checking
- Confusing the fill handle with a resize handle
- Assuming a highlighted range means one cell is not active
📌 Only one cell is active at a time, even when a whole range is highlighted.
Practice
- Click five different cells and read the Name Box each time.
- Find the fill handle on the active cell.
- Watch the row and column headings highlight.
Quick quiz: You have a range highlighted from B2 to B10. How many cells are active?
- All nine of them
- Exactly one — whichever the Name Box shows
- None
Show answer
Selected = highlighted. Active = receives what you type. — A range can be selected, but only one cell in it is active.
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