Definition: Active Cell

What is an active cell?

When using a spreadsheet (or a general 2-dimensional table), the selected, highlighted, or clicked-upon cell is called the active cell.

What can you do with it?

In an active cell, you can:

• Enter text
• Apply a function
• Write an expression
• Merge it with multiple other cells
• Edit content
• Format content

How do you select an active cell?

You can select one active cell by pointing your cursor on it and clicking it. As soon as you click a particular cell, it is highlighted. It is possible to select multiple active cells by clicking on one cell and then dragging the cursor across adjacent cells.