Excel: Fill Formatting

This page is an advertiser-supported excerpt of the book, Power Excel 2010-2013 from MrExcel - 567 Excel Mysteries Solved. If you like this topic, please consider buying the entire e-book.


Problem: I have a thousand rows of data. I want to apply red and blue to every other row. Nothing in the Format as Table looks exactly like I want it to look and I don't want to define my own table style.

Strategy: This technique temporarily wipes out all of your data, but you get it back. It is a fast way to go.

  1. Copy this formatting.
    1. Select the data in rows two and three. You will see a fill handle in the bottom right corner of the selection.

  2. Double-click the fill handle.
    1. Double-click the fill handle. All of your data is destroyed. Don't panic. Open the icon at the bottom right.
    2. Choose Fill Formatting Only. All of your data comes back. The formatting is copied throughout.

    Result: the formatting is copied. Your data that was overwritten comes back.

  3. Open the Fill Options icon.

  4. Only the formatting is copied!