How to Get Cell Color in Excel (2 Methods)

In the following image, you will find an overview of extracting the cell color.

GET.CELL Function in Excel: Overview

The Basic Syntax:

type_num is a number that specifies what type of cell information you want.

You can’t use GET.CELL directly in the worksheet. You need a workaround:

• Go to Formulas and select Name Manager. A Name Manager dialog box will appear.
• Click on New.

• Enter a name.
• In the Refers to box, use the following:

As we are working with background colors, we are using 63 in the type_num argument.

• Click OK.
• You can use the GET.CELL property via the name that you have provided.

Introduction to the Color Index and RGB Values in Excel

Excel’s Color Palette has an index of 56 colors which you can use everywhere in your workbook. Each of these colors in the palette is connected with a unique value in the Color Index.

On the other hand, RGB (red, green, and blue) represents the colors on a computer display. The R, G, and B values have a range of decimal numbers from 0 to 255 (256 levels for each color), equivalent to the range of binary numbers from 00000000 to 11111111, or hexadecimal 00 to FF. The total number of available colors is 256 x 256 x 256, or 16,777,216 possible colors.

How to Find the Color Index and RGB Values?

Steps

• Go to the Home tab.
• Click on the dropdown Fill Color and select More Colors.

• Click on Custom.

• You’ll find the RGB values of any color in the color model table.

We’ll use a simple dataset where we filled cells of a single column in various colors. We’ll extract the color codes from the cells.

Method 1 – Using the GET.CELL Function to Get the Cell Color in Excel

Steps

• Go to the Formula tab.
• Click on Name Manager. A Name Manager dialog box will appear.
• Click on New.

• Enter a name.
• In the Refers to box, insert the following formula:

• Click on OK.
• In Cell B5, insert =Background. If you chose a different name, enter that one.

• Press Enter.

• Repeat for every cell or use AutoFill.

Case 1.1 – Showing the Color Index of a Cell to the Left

Steps

• Go to the Name Manager again. Create a name getLeftColor.
• In the Refers to box, insert the following formula:

• In Cell E5, enter =getLeftColor. 

• Press Enter.

• Drag the Fill Handle icon over the range of cells E6:E12.

Case 1.2 – Showing the Color Index of the Cell to the Right

Steps

• Go to the Name Manager again. Enter the name getRightColor.
• In the Refers to box, use the following formula:

• In Cell G5, use =getRightColor. 

• Press Enter.

• Drag the Fill Handle icon over the range of cells G6:G12.

Limitation to Use the GET.CELL Function:

If you change the color of the cell, the value won’t change. Press F9 on your keyboard to recalculate it again.

Method 2 – Using VBA Code to Get the Cell Color in Excel

Case 2.1 – VBA Code to Get the Cell Color Index

Steps

• Press Alt + F11 to open the VBA editor.
• Click on Insert and choose Module.

• Insert the following code:

Function ColorIn(color As Range) As Integer
ColorIn = color.Interior.ColorIndex
End Function

• Save the file.
• In Cell B5, insert the following formula:

• Press Enter.

• Drag the Fill Handle icon over the range of cells B6:B12.

Case 2.2 – VBA Code to Get the RGB Value of Cells

Steps

• Press Alt + F11 to open the VBA editor.
• Click on Insert and select Module.
• Insert the following code:

Function FindColor(cell_range As Range, ByVal Format As String) As Variant
Dim ColorValue As Variant
ColorValue = Cells(cell_range.Row, cell_range.Column).Interior.color
Select Case LCase(Format)
Case "rgb"
FindColor = (ColorValue Mod 256) & ", " & ((ColorValue \ 256) Mod 256) & ", " & (ColorValue \ 65536)
Case Else
FindColor = "Use'RGB' as second argument!"
End Select
End Function

• Save the file.
• In Cell B5, use the following formula:

• Press Enter.

• Drag the Fill Handle icon over the range of cells B6:B12.

Download the Practice Workbook

Excel Get Cell Color: Knowledge Hub

• Excel If Cell Color Is Green
• Excel If Cell Color Is Red Then
• Excel Color Index Formula

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