You can format a table cell with a specific data format (for example, number, currency, percentage) that determines how data in the cell appears, and how it’s used in calculations.
You can also choose how many decimal places appear in cells that contain numbers, currency units, or percentage values, even if the exact value entered in the cell has more decimal places than you want to show. The actual value entered is always the value used in calculations, regardless of how many decimal places appear in the cell. If a formula refers to text in a cell, the displayed value is used in the calculation.
You can change a cell’s format even if you already typed content in the cell. For example, if you have a table that shows your monthly budget, you can have a currency symbol (for example, a dollar sign $) added to all cells automatically by formatting the cells as currency, then selecting the symbol you want.
Format cells automatically
By default, Numbers formats table cells automatically, so letters and numbers are formatted and appear the way you type them. If you change the data format for a cell, you can always revert back to the automatic format.
Select the cells or table you want to format.
In the Format
sidebar, click the Cell tab.Click the Data Format pop-up menu in the sidebar, then choose Automatic.
Numbers
By default, cells formatted as numbers display as many decimal places as you type in them. You can change this setting so cells formatted as numbers display the same number of decimal places.
Changes to decimal settings apply to both numbers and percentages. For example, if you change a cell with a number into a percentage, the number of decimal places displayed doesn’t change.
Select the cells or table you want to format.
In the Format
sidebar, click the Cell tab.Click the Data Format pop-up menu and choose an option:
Number: Displays standard number formatting.
See AlsoAlign or rotate text in a cellRotate and modify shapes added to a PDF in Preview on MacEnter text and numbers in Numbers on MacFormat existing text as vertical textSet the number of decimal places: In the Decimals field, type the number of decimal places you want to display. Numbers rounds the display value instead of truncating the display value. For example, if the value in the cell is “5.75” and you set the number of decimal places for the cell to 0 (zero), Numbers displays “6.”
Display as many decimal places as you type in each cell: Delete the number in the Decimals field, or click the Decimals down arrow until you reach the Auto setting.
Specify how negative values appear: Choose an option from the pop-up menu to the right of the Decimals field.
Show the thousands separator: Select the Thousands Separator checkbox.
Fraction: Displays numbers with a numerator and a denominator. Choose an option from the Accuracy pop-up menu to specify the maximum number of digits you want displayed, or to round the value to the nearest half, quarter, and so on.
Scientific: Displays numbers in scientific notation. In the Decimals field, type the number of decimal places you want displayed, or choose Auto to display as many decimal places as you type.
Currency (units of monetary value)
By default, cells formatted as currency display two decimal places. You can change this setting so cells display as many decimal places as you type in them, or so all cells display the same number of decimal places.
Select the cells or table you want to format.
In the Format
sidebar, click the Cell tab, then click the Data Format pop-up menu and choose Currency.Do any of the following:
Set the number of decimal places: In the Decimals field, type the number of decimal places you want to display. Numbers rounds the display value instead of truncating the display value. For example, if the value in the cell is “5.75” and you set the number of decimal places for the cell to 0 (zero), Numbers displays “6.”
Display as many decimal places as you type in each cell: Delete the number in the Decimals field, or click the Decimals down arrow until you reach the Auto setting.
Specify how negative values appear: Click the pop-up menu to the right of the Decimals field and choose an option.
Show the thousands separator: Select the Thousands Separator checkbox.
Use accounting-style negative numbers: Select the Accounting Style checkbox to display negative values within parentheses.
Click the Currency pop-up menu, then choose a currency symbol, such as US Dollar ($).
Percentages
By default, cells formatted as a percentage display as many decimal places as you type in them. You can change this setting so all cells display the same number of decimal places.
Changes to decimal settings apply to both percentages and numbers in a selected range of cells. For example, if you change the format of a cell from a percentage to a decimal, the number of decimal places displayed doesn’t change.
Select the cells or table you want to format.
In the Format
sidebar, click the Cell tab.Click the Data Format pop-up menu, then choose Percentage.
Do any of the following:
Set the number of decimal places: In the Decimals field, type the number of decimal places you want to display. Numbers rounds the display value instead of truncating the display value. For example, if the value in the cell is “5.75” and you set the number of decimal places for the cell to 0 (zero), Numbers displays “6.”
Display as many decimal places as you type in each cell: Delete the number in the Decimals field, or click the Decimals down arrow until you reach the Auto setting.
Specify how negative values appear: Choose an option from the pop-up menu to the right of the Decimals field.
Show the thousands separator: Select the Thousands Separator checkbox.
If you format a cell that already contains a value, the value is assumed to be a decimal, and it’s converted into a percentage. For example, 3 becomes 300%.
If a percentage value is used in a formula, its decimal number version is used. For example, a value that displays as 3% is used as 0.03 in a formula.
Date and time
Numbers automatically interprets text strings that you type in a recognized date format as dates (for example, 6/10/17).
Select the cells or table you want to format.
In the Format
sidebar, click the Cell tab, then click the Data Format pop-up menu and choose Date & Time.Click the Date pop-up menu, then choose a format.
If you choose None, no date is displayed in the cell, even if a date is entered and used in date and time calculations.
Choose a format from the Time pop-up menu.
If you choose None, no time is displayed in the cell, even if a time is entered and used in date and time calculations.
If you don’t enter both a date and a time, Numbers adds a default value for you. For example, if you type “1:15 PM,” Numbers adds today’s date by default.
The Smart Cell View at the bottom of the window shows you the actual value of both the date and the time for a selected cell, even if you choose to show only one in the table.
Durations (units of time)
By default, cells containing duration data are automatically formatted to display all the time units you enter. You can change this setting so duration cells display only certain units of time (for example, only hours, not minutes, seconds, or milliseconds), even if more precise duration values have been entered in the cell. The more precise values are still used in formulas that make calculations based on units of time.
Select the cells or table you want to format.
In the Format
sidebar, click the Cell tab.Click the Data Format pop-up menu, then choose Duration.
Do one of the following:
Show or hide time unit labels: Click Automatic Units, then click the Style pop-up menu and choose an option:
0: Hides all time unit labels.
0w: Displays time unit labels as abbreviations—for example, “m” for minutes.
0 weeks: Displays time unit labels fully spelled out.
Display the same units in all duration cells: Click Custom Units, then click units on the right or left end of the range selector to encompass the time duration you want to use, from weeks (wk) to milliseconds (ms).
If you change the duration format after you enter data in the cells, the data automatically adjusts to the new duration format you set.
You can also create custom cell formats to display other data, such as phone numbers. See Create a custom cell format in Numbers on Mac.
See alsoCreate a custom cell format in Numbers on MacCalculate values using data in table cells in Numbers on Mac
