The best way to display negative numbers in parentheses in Excel is to use a custom number format. In this article, you will learn exactly how to achieve that step-by-step.
Display negative numbers in parentheses 🤔
- By default, Excel shows negative numbers with a minus sign.
- However, in financial documents or formal reports, negative numbers are often required to be shown in parentheses instead.
Let's see how to make this change using a custom format.
Open the Custom number format in Excel
We need to define a custom number format in Excel. Here’s how to access the custom formatting options:
- Press Ctrl + 1 to open the Format Cells dialog box
- Or go to the Home tab and choose the last option in the Number Format dropdown
Once you’re there, we can begin customizing.
Understand how to customize numbers in Excel
Excel allows you to customize number formats in four parts:
- Positive value
- Negative value
- Zero
- Text
Positive;Negative;Zero;Text
Two symbols are frequently used for number formatting:
- 0: Always displays a digit, including leading or trailing zeros
- #: Displays only necessary digits.
- 0 ensures digits are always shown, even if not needed (e.g. 000123)
- # shows digits only when necessary (e.g. 123)
- To avoid empty cells before a decimal, use 0 before the separator
Custom Code to display a negative number in parentheses
Here is the code you should enter in the Type field of the Format Cells dialog box:
- Positive number:
#,#00.00 - Negative number:
(#,#00.00)
Voilà! The negative numbers now appear in parentheses 😀👍
You can even enhance it further by adding color. Just add [Red] before the negative format:
Conclusion
Using parentheses for negative numbers improves readability in financial models. It prevents confusion with subtraction. This format is widely used in accounting.
- It aligns with reporting standards.
- Parentheses clearly distinguish values.
- They reduce interpretation errors.
- In complex spreadsheets, clarity is key.
- This method ensures consistent and professional data presentation.
17/02/2025 @ 17:40
Alguien sabe como hacer esto pero para porcentajes: ejemplo: -56%, sea (56%), con ese no funciona. Gracias!
17/07/2023 @ 11:27
All this is fine but it does not seem to work in windows 11. Previously it was possible to change the negative format in numbers or accounting via the Global options in settings. I cannot find it in the Global settings in W11. I get the use of the custom format but I really do not want to have to resort to that every time I get a negative number, nor do wish to use custom format for all my accounts work, where negatives come up frequently. I am very new to W11 and would appreciate how to dela with this problem. It was so simple in 10 and earlier
14/09/2021 @ 02:55
Thanks !! This solved the problem !
30/08/2021 @ 12:01
The problem usually is that the standard format defined in the system settings for Negative Numbers is without the (parenthesis). The solution is simple: update the system settings.
Follow this guide from Microsoft:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/negative-numbers-aren-t-showing-with-parentheses-in-excel-682a1cc5-701a-4ce7-92db-cc9eebc5ffa0#:~:text=If%20you're%20using%20Excel,setting%20isn't%20set%20properly.
26/05/2021 @ 15:40
Is there a way to save this format in Excel so it can be used again?
01/08/2021 @ 04:45
The format will be auto saved, unless you delete. (For all higher versions of excel after 2007)
19/04/2021 @ 14:41
Is there a way to do this so that the decimal points are all lined up in the column? In your example the negative numbers are slightly out of line because of the close-parenthesis.
09/05/2021 @ 19:49
To line up the decimal point you need to put a space before the ";" in which ever number format you are using.
For example:-
#,##0.00;[Red]-#.##0.00 (already in Custom format list will become
#,##0.00 ;[Red](#.##0.00)
Hope this helps
23/12/2020 @ 05:20
Hi Frederic,
DO you know how to fix if the sample number is not showing ?
12/01/2021 @ 08:33
No
10/11/2020 @ 11:36
THANKSSSSS, SO HELPFUL SINCE MY EXCEL DIDNT HAVE THAT IN THE NUMBER FORMAT :')
26/02/2020 @ 23:50
In all new excel we will need to create this code?
Is there any way to save this code permanently in my Excel 2016 costum options?
27/02/2020 @ 09:59
Hi Eugenio,
Yes there is a solution. I write the article today and I will paste the link here
01/03/2020 @ 16:23
Hi Eugenio,
You can find how to load your custom parameters in this article https://excel-tutorial.com/start-excel-with-your-custom-parameters/
15/11/2019 @ 23:41
Once we put ( ) in negative number sign how can we save it so is permanent. Thank you.
26/11/2019 @ 15:04
You mean for all your workbook when you create a new one ?
20/02/2021 @ 18:00
yes