# How to Change Cell Color Based on Value Microsoft Excel

> To change cell color based on value in Microsoft Excel, select your data, open Conditional Formatting from the Home tab, and create a new rule. Choose to format only cells containing your target value, select a background color under the Fill tab, and apply the settings to highlight matching cells.

Canonical: https://livedemo.ai/tutorials/how-to-change-cell-color-based-on-value-microsoft-excel/
Apps: Microsoft, Excel
Updated: 2026-10-05
Interactive demo: https://story-api.livedemo.ai/workspaces/62255d3d3304f17b8f5e2d03/stories/692a30cdd673bd5aa8e638c1/preview?step=1

## Steps

1. Select your data by clicking the first cell, then press Ctrl + Shift + Right Arrow and Ctrl + Shift + Down Arrow .
2. Go to the Home tab, click on Conditional Formatting , and select Manage Rules .
3. Click New Rule , then click OK.
4. Choose Format only cells that contain .
5. Set the rule to format cells with values greater than or equal to your sales target (e.g., 5000).
6. Click the Format button, go to the Fill tab, and choose a color for the background (e.g., green).
7. Click Apply and OK to highlight cells above the target in green. Changing the sales target (e.g., to 7500) will automatically update the formatting.