# How to calculate percentage change between two numbers in Excel

Subtract the old value from the new one and divide by the old: =(C2-B2)/B2, formatted as a percentage.

**Excel:** `=(C2-B2)/B2` (Every current version)

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

## Example

Sample data (row 1 is the header):

| A | B | C | D |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Product | 2025 | 2026 | Change |
| Laptops | 182000 | 209300 |  |
| Monitors | 64500 | 58050 |  |
| Docks | 21000 | 21000 |  |
| Headsets | 15800 | 23700 |  |

Formula in D2, filled to D5: `=(C2-B2)/B2`

Result: 15.0%; -10.0%; 0.0%; 50.0%

## How it works

The change is the difference (new minus old), and dividing by the old value expresses it as a share of where you started. The brackets matter: without them Excel divides first and subtracts after. A negative result is a decrease.

## Other ways

- `=C2/B2-1`: The same result in fewer characters: the ratio of new to old, minus 1.

## Common mistakes

- `=C2-B2/B2` without brackets calculates C2-1.
- If the old value is 0, the change is undefined and you get #DIV/0!. Decide what to show: `=IF(B2=0,"New",(C2-B2)/B2)`.
- Percentage points are not percentages: going from 10% to 12% is 2 points, but a 20% increase.

## Questions

**How do I calculate the percentage increase?**

The same formula; a positive result is an increase and a negative one a decrease.

**Why does my result show 0.15 instead of 15%?**

Apply the Percent number format (Ctrl+Shift+%).

Every formula and result on this page was checked by running it in the Spreadsheet Practice formula engine on 2026-10-29.

Source: https://spreadsheetpractice.com/formulas/percentage-change