In Excel: use Format as Table and enable Banded Rows, or create a conditional formatting rule with =MOD(ROW(),2)=0.
On this page7
Choose Format as Table for dynamic data.
Use Banded Rows from Table Design.
For a plain range, add a formula-based conditional formatting rule.
Pick a subtle fill so text remains readable.
What this does
Alternating row color improves scanning by shading every other row. Format as Table is easiest because banding expands with the table. Conditional formatting gives more control and can shade based on visible row numbers, groups or custom logic. Before you run it on a workbook other people depend on, try it on a copy or a few rows first. Undo only reaches back through the current session, so a quick trial run is the cheapest way to see exactly what will change before the file is saved and shared. For “make alternating colors in excel”, the reliable version is a short checking loop, not just the first command that appears to work. Run it on a deliberately small range first, watch how the affected cells change, and only then apply the same setup to the full sheet. When this is a ribbon command, the selection matters more than the button: confirm the range, apply the command, then spot-check the output before saving. That is what makes a layout choice that keeps the sheet readable and sortable useful in real work: repeatable, auditable, and not dependent on memory or luck.
A worked example
Select A1:F500, choose Home ▸ Format as Table and keep Banded Rows on. For a normal range, select A2:F500, add a conditional formatting formula =MOD(ROW(),2)=0 and choose a light fill. Row banding is small, but it materially improves readability for wide tables and repeated review work. If this is something you do often, add the command to the Quick Access Toolbar (right-click it on the ribbon and choose Add to Quick Access Toolbar) or learn its shortcut, so next time it is one click instead of a hunt through the menus.
In Google Sheets
This is a command rather than a formula, so there is no syntax to carry over. Google Sheets arranges its commands in menus across the top instead of a ribbon, names some of them differently and does not have every Excel command — look for the equivalent in the Sheets menus or its help before assuming the steps match. Keep this page bookmarked for the next time the same question comes up. Better still, repeat the steps once in your own workbook — doing it yourself is what turns a copied answer into something you remember. Treat “make alternating colors in excel” as a routine rather than a one-off. Once you know which setting or command controls it, the same few steps handle every workbook where it comes up in Excel, and you can explain them to a colleague in a sentence.
Common mistakes
- Manually coloring rows, then breaking the pattern after sorting.
- Using colors with poor contrast.
- Applying the rule to only one column.
- Forgetting that inserted rows need the rule range to include them.
Frequently asked questions
What formula shades every other row?
=MOD(ROW(),2)=0 shades even rows.
Will banded rows survive sorting?
Yes when done with a table or conditional formatting.
Can I shade by groups instead?
Yes, but use a helper formula based on group changes.