On a fresh practice sheet, select B2:B3 and choose Yellow from Fill Color. On Windows, Alt+H, H opens the palette; you still choose the colour. On Mac, Command+1 opens Format Cells: choose Fill > Background color, Yellow and OK. In Excel for the web, use Home > Fill Color. B2 stays 12, B3 stays 18 and excluded B4 stays 20 with No Fill.
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Fill Color choices by platform
| Platform | Open the choice, then apply Yellow |
|---|---|
| Windows desktop | Alt+H, H opens the Fill Color palette. Choose Yellow; opening the palette alone does not apply it. |
| Excel for Mac | Command+1 opens Format Cells. On Fill, choose Yellow under Background color, then OK. |
| Excel for the web | Choose Home > Fill Color, then choose Yellow from the palette. |
Microsoft’s keyboard examples use a US layout. The Windows ribbon keys are sequential; follow the displayed KeyTips if your ribbon or layout differs. Command+1 on Mac opens a formatting dialog, not an immediate fill action. In every route, deliberately choose the intended colour.
Use a fresh, unformatted spare sheet with no conditional formatting. Paste the Item/Amount sample starting at A1: Pens/12, Paper/18 and Clips/20 occupy rows 2, 3 and 4.
Select only B2:B3. Do not select the Amount column header or B4; the two target cells contain 12 and 18.
Open the platform’s fill-colour choice and deliberately select Yellow. Windows: Alt+H, H or the Home > Fill Color arrow. Mac: Command+1 > Fill > Background color, choose Yellow, then OK. Web: Home > Fill Color, then Yellow.
Move the selection away and inspect the background. B2 and B3 should remain Yellow with values 12 and 18. Check B4 still contains 20 and has No Fill; all other cells keep their starting values and backgrounds.
Fill two Amount cells and leave the third unchanged
Paste into A1 on a fresh unformatted sheet. Select B2:B3, deliberately choose Yellow with the platform route above, then move the selection away and compare these values and backgrounds.
A1| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Pens | 12 |
| Paper | 18 |
| Clips | 20 |
If columns are cut off, scroll the table sideways.
| Cell | Numeric value unchanged | Manual background |
|---|---|---|
| B2 | 12 | Yellow |
| B3 | 18 | Yellow |
| B4 | 20 | No Fill |
If columns are cut off, scroll the table sideways.
- The sample headers occupy A1:B1. Pens/12, Paper/18 and Clips/20 occupy rows 2, 3 and 4.
- Only B2:B3 is selected for the manual fill. B4, A1:A4 and B1 stay outside the operation.
- After moving the selection away, B2 and B3 have Yellow backgrounds. Their formula-bar values remain numeric 12 and 18.
- B4 still contains numeric 20 and has No Fill. This is the excluded control cell, not a third target.
Documentation reviewed .
Microsoft: Excel keyboard shortcutsMicrosoft: Cell shading on MacMicrosoft: Cell background colour and web steps
Excel for Windows desktop: Select B2:B3, press Alt, H, H in sequence to open Fill Color, then choose Yellow. The Home > Fill Color arrow is the menu alternative; opening the palette is not the final colour choice.Excel for Mac: Select B2:B3 and press Command+1 for Format Cells, then Fill > Background color, choose Yellow and confirm OK. Menu alternative: Format > Cells > Fill. Keep B4 out of the selection.
What this does
Fill Color changes the selected cells’ background. It does not replace a number or change the font colour. Selecting B2:B3 is a temporary selection; a chosen manual fill remains after you move the active cell elsewhere. This example starts without existing formatting or rules, so No Fill is an observable control state in B4.
A worked example
Paste the sample into A1, then select B2:B3 and choose Yellow. The expected reference below marks Pens/12 and Paper/18, while Clips/20 in B4 stays outside the operation. Inspect each value in the formula bar rather than typing the displayed number again. Yellow names the palette choice; no exact RGB or theme shade is required. Use the illustrative table to check the result in your own sheet.
In Google Sheets
These keyboard and menu routes are for Excel. Do not substitute Command into the Windows ribbon sequence or transfer its KeyTips to Google Sheets. Manual fill, font colour and conditional formatting are separate choices: a conditional-formatting rule can control an appearance, while this exercise asks for one deliberate manual background.
Common mistakes
- Stopping when the palette opens: choose Yellow to apply the intended fill rather than assuming the last-used colour is Yellow.
- Selecting all of column B or including
B4; the exercise targets onlyB2:B3. - Changing Font Color instead of the cell background, or mistaking the selection highlight for a persistent fill.
- Starting with existing conditional formatting and expecting the same appearance. Use the fresh spare sheet, and undo an accidental action immediately.
Frequently asked questions
Does Alt+H, H apply Yellow immediately?
No. It opens the Fill Color choice on the documented Windows ribbon route. Choose Yellow from the palette and then check the result.
Is Command+1 a direct Mac fill-colour shortcut?
No. It opens Format Cells. Choose Fill, select Yellow under Background color and confirm OK. Format > Cells > Fill is the named menu route.
Will filling B2:B3 change 12 and 18?
A manual background operation leaves those numeric contents in place. Check their formula-bar values and verify that excluded B4 still contains 20 with No Fill.
Why does the colour look different after selecting another cell?
Moving the selection removes its temporary highlight. Inspect the manual background then. Existing conditional formatting, themes or other formatting can affect appearance; use the fresh sheet for this reference exercise.