# How to count blank cells in Excel

Use `=COUNTBLANK(C2:C11)`. It counts empty cells, and also cells whose formula returns empty text ("").

**Excel:** `=COUNTBLANK(C2:C11)` (Every current version)

**Google Sheets:** the same formula works.

## Example

Sample data (row 1 is the header):

| A | B | C | D | E |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Name | Email | Phone |  | Missing phones |
| Lena Park | lena.park@corp.example | 555-0142 |  |  |
| Omar Ruiz | omar.ruiz@corp.example | 555-0187 |  |  |
| Noor Haddad | noor.haddad@corp.example |  |  |  |
| Tom Becker | tom.becker@corp.example | 555-0119 |  |  |
| Priya Shah | priya.shah@corp.example |  |  |  |
| Ines Lopez | ines.lopez@corp.example | 555-0163 |  |  |
| Jon Wells | jon.wells@corp.example | 555-0108 |  |  |
| Mia Chen | mia.chen@corp.example |  |  |  |
| Raj Iyer | raj.iyer@corp.example | 555-0175 |  |  |
| Sara Nilsen | sara.nilsen@corp.example | 555-0151 |  |  |

Formula in F1: `=COUNTBLANK(C2:C11)`

Result: 3

## How it works

COUNTBLANK counts the cells in the range that have nothing in them. Three contacts are missing a phone number.

It also counts cells where a formula returns `""`, because those look empty, which is usually what you want for a "missing" count.

## Other ways

- `=COUNTIF(C2:C11,"")`: The same count with COUNTIF, which lets you switch to COUNTIFS and add conditions, like blanks in one region only.
- `=SUMPRODUCT(--(C2:C11=""))`: Array version: combine it with other tests, such as blanks in phone or email.

## Common mistakes

- A cell with a space in it is not blank. If COUNTBLANK seems too low, check with `=SUMPRODUCT(--(TRIM(C2:C11)=""))`.
- COUNTBLANK takes one range only. For blanks in two separate columns, add two COUNTBLANKs.

## Questions

**How do I count blank cells with a condition?**

Use COUNTIFS with "" as one of the criteria: `=COUNTIFS(C2:C11,"",A2:A11,"<>")` counts named contacts with no phone.

**How do I count rows where every cell is blank?**

Test each column: `=COUNTIFS(B2:B11,"",C2:C11,"")`.

Every formula and result on this page was checked by running it in the Spreadsheet Practice formula engine on 2026-10-30.

Source: https://spreadsheetpractice.com/formulas/count-blank-cells