--- title: "ABS function in Excel: syntax and examples | PracticeExcel" description: "How to use ABS in Excel and Google Sheets: turn negative numbers positive and measure differences whatever their direction." canonical_url: "https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/abs" locale: en meta: "og:description": "How to use ABS in Excel and Google Sheets: turn negative numbers positive and measure differences whatever their direction." "og:image": "https://practiceexcelonline.com/_og/d/c_Page%2Ctitle_~QUJTIGZ1bmN0aW9uIGluIEV4Y2VsOiBzeW50YXggYW5kIGV4YW1wbGVz%2Cdescription_~SG93IHRvIHVzZSBBQlMgaW4gRXhjZWwgYW5kIEdvb2dsZSBTaGVldHM6IHR1cm4gbmVnYXRpdmUgbnVtYmVycyBwb3NpdGl2ZSBhbmQgbWVhc3VyZSBkaWZmZXJlbmNlcyB3aGF0ZXZlciB0aGVpciBkaXJlY3Rpb24u%2Ceyebrow_Excel%2Bfunctions%2Csite_practiceexcel%2Ccode_ABS(number)%2Cp_Ii9mdW5jdGlvbnMvYWJzIg%2Cs_-an2N4_ucweuXAZn.png" "og:image:height": "600" "og:image:type": image/png "og:image:width": "1200" "og:title": "ABS function in Excel: syntax and examples | PracticeExcel" "twitter:image": "https://practiceexcelonline.com/_og/d/c_Page%2Ctitle_~QUJTIGZ1bmN0aW9uIGluIEV4Y2VsOiBzeW50YXggYW5kIGV4YW1wbGVz%2Cdescription_~SG93IHRvIHVzZSBBQlMgaW4gRXhjZWwgYW5kIEdvb2dsZSBTaGVldHM6IHR1cm4gbmVnYXRpdmUgbnVtYmVycyBwb3NpdGl2ZSBhbmQgbWVhc3VyZSBkaWZmZXJlbmNlcyB3aGF0ZXZlciB0aGVpciBkaXJlY3Rpb24u%2Ceyebrow_Excel%2Bfunctions%2Csite_practiceexcel%2Ccode_ABS(number)%2Cp_Ii9mdW5jdGlvbnMvYWJzIg%2Cs_-an2N4_ucweuXAZn.png" --- > Index of every page on this site: [llms.txt](https://practiceexcelonline.com/llms.txt) # **The ABS function** Returns the absolute value of a number, the number without its sign. -25 becomes 25 and 25 stays 25. = ABS( ## **Syntax** ``` ABS(number) ```
**number **
The number, cell or calculation to take the absolute value of.
## **Examples** B1=ABS(-25) | | A | B | | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | | **25** | E1=ABS(C2-B2) | | A | B | C | D | E | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | Item | Budget | Actual | | **150** | | 2 | Rent | 1200 | 1050 | | | D1=SUMPRODUCT(ABS(B2:B5)) | | A | B | C | D | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | Month | Change | | **305** | | 2 | Jan | 120 | | | | 3 | Feb | -80 | | | | 4 | Mar | 45 | | | | 5 | Apr | -60 | | | ## **Questions**
### How do I turn negative numbers into positive numbers in Excel? Wrap the value in ABS, as in =ABS(A2). Positive numbers stay as they are. To flip the sign of every number instead, multiply by -1.
### How do I add up differences without them canceling out? Use =SUMPRODUCT(ABS(B2:B5)). ABS turns every change positive first, so a drop of 80 counts as much as a rise of 80. SUM(ABS(B2:B5)) gives the same in Excel 365.
## **Related functions** - [**ROUND**](https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/round) - [**SQRT**](https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/sqrt) - [**SUMPRODUCT**](https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/sumproduct) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#identity","@type":"Organization","name":"PracticeExcel","url":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/","logo":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#logo"}},{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#website","@type":"WebSite","inLanguage":"en-US","name":"PracticeExcel","url":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/","alternateName":["Practice Excel Online","PracticeExcelOnline.com"],"publisher":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#identity"},"workTranslation":{"@id":"https://excelopgaver.dk/#website"}},{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/abs#webpage","description":"How to use ABS in Excel and Google Sheets: turn negative numbers positive and measure differences whatever their direction.","name":"ABS function in Excel: syntax and examples","url":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/abs","@type":["WebPage","FAQPage"],"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/abs#breadcrumb"},"isPartOf":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#website"},"mainEntity":[{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/abs#/schema/question/1"},{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/abs#/schema/question/2"}],"potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/abs"]}],"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#logo"}},{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/abs#breadcrumb","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","name":"Home","item":"https://practiceexcelonline.com","position":1},{"@type":"ListItem","name":"Excel functions","item":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions","position":2},{"@type":"ListItem","name":"ABS function in Excel: syntax and examples","position":3}]},{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/abs#article","description":"How to use ABS in Excel and Google Sheets: turn negative numbers positive and measure differences whatever their direction.","headline":"ABS function in Excel: syntax and examples","inLanguage":"en-US","thumbnailUrl":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/_og/d/c_Page%2Ctitle_~QUJTIGZ1bmN0aW9uIGluIEV4Y2VsOiBzeW50YXggYW5kIGV4YW1wbGVz%2Cdescription_~SG93IHRvIHVzZSBBQlMgaW4gRXhjZWwgYW5kIEdvb2dsZSBTaGVldHM6IHR1cm4gbmVnYXRpdmUgbnVtYmVycyBwb3NpdGl2ZSBhbmQgbWVhc3VyZSBkaWZmZXJlbmNlcyB3aGF0ZXZlciB0aGVpciBkaXJlY3Rpb24u%2Ceyebrow_Excel%2Bfunctions%2Csite_practiceexcel%2Ccode_ABS(number)%2Cp_Ii9mdW5jdGlvbnMvYWJzIg%2Cs_-an2N4_ucweuXAZn.png","@type":["Article","TechArticle"],"author":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#identity"},"image":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#/schema/image/1"},"isPartOf":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/abs#webpage"},"mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/abs#webpage"},"publisher":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#identity"}},{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/functions/abs#/schema/question/1","@type":"Question","inLanguage":"en-US","name":"How do I turn negative numbers into positive numbers in Excel?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Wrap the value in ABS, as in =ABS(A2). 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