Examples

With a single cell reference, ROW returns the associated row number: When a reference is not provided, ROW returns the row number of the cell the formula resides in. For example, if the following formula is entered in cell D6, the result is 6: When ROW is given a range, it returns the row numbers for that range: In Excel 365, which supports dynamic array formulas, the result is an array {4,5,6} that spills vertically into three cells, starting with the cell that contains the formula. In earlier Excel versions, the first item of the array (4) will display in one cell only. To get Excel 365 to return a single value, you can use the implicit intersection operator (@):  This @ symbol disables array behavior and tells Excel you want a single value.

Notes

Reference can be a single cell address or a range of cells. Reference is optional and will default to the cell in which the ROW function exists. Reference cannot include multiple references or addresses. To get column numbers, see the COLUMN function. To count rows, see the ROWS function. To lookup a row number, see the MATCH function.

Dave Bruns

Hi - I’m Dave Bruns, and I run Exceljet with my wife, Lisa. Our goal is to help you work faster in Excel. We create short videos, and clear examples of formulas, functions, pivot tables, conditional formatting, and charts.