Fill Down in Excel: Copy a Formula to Every Row
Four ways to fill a formula down in Excel: drag the fill handle, double-click it, Ctrl+D and tables. Plus how references change and how to check the copies.
By Ayoub Farid · · 2 min read
You never write the same formula 500 times. You write it once and fill it down. Excel copies it to every row and adjusts the references so each row uses its own data.
4 ways to fill down
1. Drag the fill handle
Select the cell. Grab the small square at the bottom-right corner (the fill handle) and drag down.
2. Double-click the fill handle
Double-click the square and Excel fills down as far as the data in the next column goes. The fastest method for long lists.
3. Ctrl + D
Select the formula cell and the cells below it, then press Ctrl+D (Cmd+D on Mac).
4. Use a table
Convert the data to a table (Ctrl+T). Type a formula in one row of a new column and it fills the whole column automatically, including rows you add later.
What happens to references
Row 2: =B2*C2 Row 3: =B3*C3 Row 4: =B4*C4
Each copy moves its references down one row. That's relative referencing, and it's usually exactly right.
When filling down breaks things
If a formula points at one fixed cell (a total, a rate), that reference moves too and breaks:
Row 2: =B2/B14 ✓ Row 3: =B3/B15 ✗ (B15 is empty)
Fix: lock it with $: =B2/$B$14. See absolute references.
Always check the last row
After filling, click the bottom cell and read its formula in the formula bar. Do the references point where you expect? This 3-second check catches most mistakes.
Fill right
The same works across: drag the handle right, or Ctrl+R. References then shift by column (B → C → D).
Fill without formatting
After dragging, click the small Auto Fill Options icon and choose "Fill Without Formatting" to keep borders and colours as they were.
Practise it
"Fill down" is its own lesson in Cellio ("Write once, copy down"). Exercises copy your formula down the range exactly like Excel, then check every row, so you see which copies are right and which drifted.
Frequently asked questions
How do I copy a formula down a column in Excel?
Double-click the fill handle, drag it, or select the range and press Ctrl+D.
Why does my formula change when I copy it?
Relative references adjust to each row. Lock fixed cells with $.
Why doesn't double-click fill all the way?
It stops at the first blank cell in the neighbouring column.
How do I fill down in Google Sheets?
Drag the fill handle, double-click it, or use Ctrl+D, just like Excel.