How to How to Remove Apostrophe Before Numbers in Excel in Excel - Practical Guide

Learn to remove apostrophes that prefix numbers in Excel cells, which prevents proper calculations and sorting. This tutorial covers three methods: Find & Replace, VALUE function, and Paste Special techniques to convert text-formatted numbers into true numeric values for accurate data manipulation.

Why This Matters

Apostrophes before numbers cause Excel to treat values as text, breaking formulas, sorting, and calculations. Removing them ensures data integrity and enables proper spreadsheet operations.

Prerequisites

•Basic Excel knowledge and file opening skills
•Understanding of text vs. numeric formatting

Step-by-Step Instructions

Select the affected cells

Click on the column or cell range containing apostrophe-prefixed numbers. Use Ctrl+Space to select entire column or drag to select specific cells.

Open Find & Replace dialog

Press Ctrl+H to open Find & Replace. In the Find field, enter: ' (apostrophe). Leave Replace field empty and click Replace All.

Verify the replacement

Check that numbers are now right-aligned (numeric format) instead of left-aligned (text format) in cells.

Convert to number format if needed

Right-click selected cells > Format Cells > Number tab > choose Number category > click OK to ensure proper numeric formatting.

Test calculations

Create a test formula (=SUM or =A1+B1) to confirm numbers now calculate correctly instead of treating as text.

Alternative Methods

Use VALUE formula

In a blank column, use =VALUE(A1) to convert apostrophe-prefixed text to numbers, then copy results and paste as values back to original column.

Paste Special multiply by 1

Enter 1 in a blank cell, copy it, select the apostrophe-cells, go to Paste Special (Ctrl+Shift+V), choose Multiply option, then click OK.

Text to Columns feature

Select cells, go to Data > Text to Columns > click Next twice > click Finish to auto-convert text numbers to true numeric values.

Tips & Tricks

✓Before using Find & Replace, create a backup copy of your data to prevent accidental loss.
✓Apostrophes are invisible in Excel; check the formula bar to confirm their presence before removing.
✓Use Ctrl+1 as shortcut to quickly open Format Cells dialog for number formatting.

Pro Tips

★Use Find & Replace with regular expressions (Enable) to remove apostrophes from multiple columns simultaneously.
★Apply conditional formatting to identify remaining text-formatted numbers (Home > Conditional Formatting > Highlight Cell Rules).
★Use Data > Data Validation to prevent future apostrophe entries in critical numeric columns.

Troubleshooting

Find & Replace found 0 matches despite apostrophes visible in cells

The apostrophe may be part of cell formatting, not content. Select cells > go to Data > Text to Columns > Finish to force conversion without manual replacement.

Numbers still won't calculate after removing apostrophes

Select cells > right-click > Format Cells > Number tab > Number category > OK. Excel sometimes retains text format even after apostrophe removal.

VALUE formula returns #VALUE! error

Verify the source cells contain only apostrophe + digits; extra spaces or special characters will cause errors. Use TRIM function combined with VALUE: =VALUE(TRIM(A1)).

Related Excel Formulas

VALUE TRIM TEXT SUBSTITUTE ISNUMBER

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Excel add apostrophes before numbers?

Excel adds apostrophes when importing data from other formats (CSV, legacy systems) or when cells are pre-formatted as text before numeric entry. The apostrophe forces Excel to treat the value as text.

Will removing apostrophes affect my formulas?

Yes, positively. Formulas referencing apostrophe-prefixed numbers treat them as text and fail. Removing apostrophes allows formulas to calculate correctly. Press F9 to refresh formulas after conversion.

Can I remove apostrophes from an entire worksheet at once?

Yes. Press Ctrl+A to select all cells, then use Find & Replace (Ctrl+H) to find ' and replace with nothing. This removes all apostrophes in the sheet simultaneously.

What's the difference between Find & Replace and Text to Columns?

Find & Replace only removes apostrophes; Text to Columns both removes apostrophes AND converts format to numeric in one step, making it faster for large datasets.