ISBLANK() function

Question

Is there any way I can check whether a cell is empty?

There is a function ISBLANK() but it returns false when there's a formula in a cell even thought the formula doesn't return anything (or an empty string).

I would like it to return true when the formula doesn't return anything as well. So the cell seems to be empty without any value.

Answer 1

You can check whether a cell is empty or not by using the following formula:

=if(C2="";"The cell is empty";"The cell is not empty")

Answer 2

I can use function

=IF(COUNTBLANK(cell:cell)=1;"Blank cell";"Not blank")

that will be one only of the cell is empty.

Answer 3

I found the function LEN(A1) to be very useful and robust. It also works for cells that contained text that has been deleted. It returns the length of a cell's content and if it returns 0, the cell is empty.

• IF(NOT(LEN(A1))) or IF(LEN(A1)=0) to check for empty cells
• IF(LEN(A1)) or IF(LEN(A1)<>0) to check for non-empty cells

I prefer the fist variant because it's easier to read. The number 0 evaluates to FALSE in a boolean check, any positive number evaluates to TRUE.

Answer 4

You can wrap the ISBLANK() with a NOT() it basically switches what ever is in it to the opposite of its original result.

=NOT(ISBLANK(A2))

Its checking if A2 is not empty. If it has something in A2 it will give a True result.

NOT - Docs editors Help

Answer 5

Except for @Martin Hansen's A (where all four versions return nothing but #N/A for me) two of the above As do distinguish:

a "blank" cell (truly blank OR containing a formula returning `""`)  

from

a "non-blank" cell (whether Text, Numeric, Boolean or other Formula).

They are all however much longer than they need to be if just for the purpose of differentiation. Much of the length is due to the text chosen to notify the condition. Such text is not necessary (I would like it to return true...). A correct A to Is the cell "not-blank" would serve for differentiation (as @CamSyl's interpretation).

However in that case a correct A to Is the cell "blank" would serve equally well (or better, given OP wants true for blank), and that can be achieved with a formula roughly a third of the length of @CamSyl's solution (which does not solve OP's problem anyway).

I recommend a formula of the type:

=A3="" 

(which is all the essence of @Mehper C. Palavuzlar's A without the text).

Answer 6

I've searched the internet (Google, search tools, custom range) for references of the ISBLANK function pre-dating the OP's question. The ISBLANK function already existed during the time of asking: ISBLANK reference before 01/12/2009

Therefore this function will suffice:

=IF(ISBLANK(A2)=TRUE;"Blank cell";"Not blank")

There is however one thing to take in consideration:

• Deleted text, formatted as plain text, isn't empty