Format cells as currency, dates, and more in Numbers for iCloud
You can format a table cell with a data type that determines how the data in the cell appears, and how the data is recognized by functions that refer to that cell.
You can also choose how many decimal places appear in cells that contain numbers, currency units, or percentage values, even if the actual value entered in the cell is more precise than what you want to show. The actual value entered is always used in calculations, except when a formula refers to a cell formatted to display text. In this case, the displayed text (which can be alphabetic or numeric) is used in the calculation.
You can change a cell’s format even if you already entered content in the cell.
Numbers
By default, cells formatted as numbers display as many decimal places as you enter in them. You can change this setting so cells formatted as numbers display the same number of decimal places.
Changes to decimal settings apply to both numbers and percentages. For example, if you change a cell with a number into a percentage, the number of decimal places displayed doesn’t change.
Select a cell or a range of cells.
Click Data at the top of the Format sidebar on the right, then click the Data Format pop-up menu and choose Number, Scientific, or Fraction.
Number: Displays standard number formatting. You can adjust the formatting in the following ways:
Set the number of decimal places: In the Decimals field, enter the number of decimal places you want displayed.
Display as many decimal places as you enter in each cell: Click the Decimals down arrow until you reach the Auto setting.
Specify how negative values appear: From the pop-up menu to the right of the Decimals field, choose an option.
Show the thousands separator: Select the Thousands Separator checkbox.
Scientific: Displays numbers in scientific notation. In the Decimals field, enter the number of decimal places you want displayed or choose Auto to display as many decimal places as you enter.
Fraction: Displays numbers with a numerator and a denominator. Choose an option from the Accuracy pop-up menu to specify the maximum number of digits you want displayed, or to round the value to the nearest half, quarter, and so on.
Currency (units of monetary value)
By default, cells formatted as currency display two decimal places. You can change this setting so cells display as many decimal places as you enter into them, or so all cells display the same number of decimal places.
Select a cell or a range of cells.
Click Data at the top of the Format sidebar on the right, click the Data Format pop-up menu, then choose Currency.
Do any of the following:
Display as many decimal places as you enter in a cell: Click the Decimals down arrow until you reach the Auto setting.
Specify that all cells display the same number of decimal places: In the Decimals field, enter the number of decimal places you want displayed.
To specify how negative values appear, from the pop-up menu to the right of the Decimals field choose an option, or select the Accounting Style checkbox to display negative values within parentheses.
To show the thousands separator, select the Thousands Separator checkbox.
To choose a currency symbol, click the Currency pop-up menu, then choose a symbol.
Percentages
By default, cells formatted as a percentage display as many decimal places as you enter in them. You can change this setting so all cells display the same number of decimal places.
Changes to decimal settings apply to both percentages and numbers in a selected range of cells. For example, if you change a cell with a percentage into a decimal, the number of decimal places displayed doesn’t change.
Select a cell or a range of cells.
Click Data at the top of the sidebar on the right, then click the Data Format pop-up menu and choose Percentage.
Do any of the following:
Display as many decimal places as you enter in each cell: Click the Decimals down arrow until you reach the Auto setting.
Specify that all cells display the same number of decimal places: In the Decimals field, enter the number of decimals you want displayed.
To specify how you want negative values to appear, click the pop-up menu to the right of the Decimals field, then choose an option.
To show the thousands separator, select the Thousands Separator checkbox.
Date and time
Select a cell or a range of cells.
Click Data at the top of the Format sidebar on the right, then click the Data Format pop-up menu and choose Date and Time.
Choose a format from Date Format pop-up menu.
If you choose None, no date is displayed in the cell, even if a date is entered and used in date and time calculations.
Choose a format from the Time Format pop-up menu.
If you choose None, no time is displayed in the cell, even if a time is entered and used in date and time calculations.
Fractions
You can format cells as any part of a value smaller than 1.
Select a cell or a range of cells.
Click Data at the top of the Format sidebar on the right, then click the Data Format pop-up menu and choose Fraction.
To specify the maximum number of digits you want displayed, or to round the value to the nearest half, quarter, and so on, choose an option from the Accuracy pop-up menu.
Scientific notation
You can format cells to display numbers using an exponent raised by the power of 10.
Select a cell or a range of cells.
Click Data at the top of the Format sidebar on the right, then click the Data Format pop-up menu and choose Scientific.
In the Decimals field, enter the number of decimal places you want displayed, or choose Auto to display as many decimal places as you enter.
Text
You can format cells to use the text format when you want all of a cell’s content to be treated as text, even when it’s a number. When a text format is applied to a cell, its value is displayed exactly as you type it.
Select a cell or a range of cells.
Click Data at the top of the Format sidebar on the right, then click the Data Format pop-up menu and choose Text.
You can also format cells to contain checkboxes, star ratings, sliders, and other interactive controls. For more information, click the link below.