Excel IF Formula: How to Write One, With Examples (2026 Guide)

IF is the formula that lets a spreadsheet make a decision: if this is true, show that; otherwise, show something else. Pass or fail, paid or overdue, discount or no discount — most of the "thinking" in a spreadsheet is an IF formula somewhere. Here is the syntax once, then five examples that cover nearly every IF you will ever write.

The syntax, in plain English

=IF(test, value_if_true, value_if_false)

• test — the question, for example B2>=100.
• value_if_true — what to show when the answer is yes.
• value_if_false — what to show when the answer is no.

All three parts matter. Leave out the third one and Excel shows FALSE when the test fails, which is almost never what you want.

Example 1: Pass or fail

Column B holds exam scores. Mark each one:

=IF(B2>=60,"Pass","Fail")

Text results go in double quotes. Numbers do not: =IF(B2>100,B2*0.1,0) returns a 10% discount on orders over 100, and 0 otherwise.

Example 2: Grades with nested IF

Turn a score into a letter grade:

=IF(A2>=90,"A",IF(A2>=80,"B",IF(A2>=70,"C","F")))

Read it as a chain: 90 or above is an A; if not, 80 or above is a B; if not, 70 or above is a C; otherwise F. Each IF sits inside the previous one's "false" slot. It works, but three levels deep is where most people start losing track of the brackets — which is why IFS exists.

Example 3: The same grades, with IFS

=IFS(A2>=90,"A",A2>=80,"B",A2>=70,"C",TRUE,"F")

IFS lists each condition and its result as a flat pair, no nesting. The last pair, TRUE,"F", is the catch-all — TRUE is always true, so anything that fell through the earlier tests gets an F. IFS needs Excel 2019 or Microsoft 365; nested IF works in every version, including Google Sheets.

Example 4: Two conditions with AND and OR

Flag orders that are both large and unpaid:

=IF(AND(B2>500,C2="Unpaid"),"Chase","OK")

AND needs every condition true; OR needs just one: =IF(OR(B2="Overdue",C2<0),"Review","OK"). You can nest AND and OR inside each other for more complex rules, but if the logic needs a paragraph to explain, it is usually better as a lookup table or a helper column.

Example 5: Hide errors with IFERROR

Lookups that find nothing show #N/A. Wrap the lookup so the report stays clean:

=IFERROR(VLOOKUP("ABC123",A2:D100,3,FALSE),"Not found")

IFERROR is not an IF, but it is the formula people reach for next: if the first argument errors, show the second argument instead. (XLOOKUP has this built in — see our VLOOKUP vs XLOOKUP guide.)

The mistakes that break IF

• Missing value-if-false. =IF(B2>100,"Big") returns FALSE when the test fails. Always write all three parts.
• Quotes around numbers. =IF(B2>"100","Big","Small") compares a number to text, which gives wrong results. Numbers never take quotes; text always does.
• Testing text with =. =IF(A2="yes","OK","No") works, but it is not case-sensitive and it breaks on trailing spaces — the same dirty-data problem as SUMIF. Trim with =TRIM(A2) first if the data came from elsewhere.
• Nesting past three levels. It works, but nobody — including you in a month — can read it. Switch to IFS, or move the rules into a small table and use a lookup.

FAQ

Can an IF formula return a number instead of text?

Yes — the value-if-true and value-if-false can be numbers, cell references, or other formulas. For example =IF(B2>100,B2*0.1,0) returns a 10% discount when the order is over 100, and 0 otherwise.

What is the difference between nested IF and IFS?

They do the same job, but IFS lists each condition and result as a flat pair, so it is much easier to read and edit than IFs nested inside each other. IFS needs Excel 2019 or Microsoft 365; nested IF works in every version.

Why does my IF formula return FALSE instead of my value?

You left out the value-if-false. =IF(B2>100,"Big") with no third argument returns FALSE when the test fails. Always write all three parts: test, value if true, value if false.