Excel Name Box: Change a Range or Named Range

To select a different cell range, click the Name Box to the left of the formula bar, type an address such as A1:D10, and press Enter. To change the cells an existing named range refers to, use Formulas > Name Manager and edit its Refers to entry; typing into the Name Box alone does not change a name’s definition.

These are two related but different tasks: the Name Box can take you to a range or create a name for the current selection, while Name Manager changes the stored definition of a named range. The steps below cover both, so you can choose the one that matches what you mean by editing a range.

What You’ll Need

An Excel workbook with a worksheet you can edit. The instructions are for Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows.
If you are changing an existing named range, its name and the address of the replacement cells. You can find the name in the Name Box drop-down or in Name Manager.
If the sheet or workbook is protected, the password or permission needed to make changes. Protection may prevent editing cells or name definitions.

No formula or add-in is needed. Save the workbook before changing an important name, particularly if formulas, charts, or data validation depend on it.

Step-by-Step

Decide whether you are selecting cells or redefining a name. If you only want to move to or highlight a different range, enter a cell address in the Name Box. If an existing label such as SalesData should point to different cells, edit that defined name in Name Manager. Keeping this distinction in mind prevents accidentally creating a new name when you meant to change an existing one.
Locate the Name Box. Open the worksheet and look above the grid, immediately to the left of the formula bar. The box normally displays the active cell address, such as A1, or the name of a selected named range. If the formula bar is hidden or the window is narrow, maximize Excel or use the View tab options to make the formula bar visible; the Name Box is part of that area.
Enter an address to select a range. Click inside the Name Box, select or replace its current text, and type a range in A1 notation. For example, type B2:E15 to select columns B through E, rows 2 through 15. Press Enter. Excel moves the active selection to those cells, scrolling the sheet if necessary. To select one cell, enter an address such as G20. This changes the selection only; it does not alter the contents of the cells or create a lasting range definition.
Use a sheet-qualified address when needed. To select cells on another worksheet in the same workbook, enter the sheet name, an exclamation mark, and the range address, for example January!B2:E15. If the sheet name contains spaces, surround it with single quotation marks, as in 'North Region'!B2:E15. Press Enter to go to that range. This is useful when the target sheet is far away or hidden among many tabs, but it does not unhide a hidden worksheet.
Create a new named range from a selection, if that is your goal. First select the cells, either on the sheet or by entering their address in the Name Box. Click the Name Box, type a valid name such as Quarter1Sales, and press Enter. A valid name starts with a letter, underscore, or backslash; it cannot contain spaces or look like a cell reference such as B2. Names can include letters, numbers, periods, and underscores. Check the box afterward: if the name was accepted, it should show the name when the range is selected. This creates a name for the selected cells; it does not rename an existing definition or change its target.
Open Name Manager to change an existing named range. Choose Formulas > Name Manager on the ribbon. In the list, locate the name you want to edit and select it. Check the Scope column as well as the name: a name may apply to the whole workbook or only to a particular worksheet. If names are hard to distinguish, use the Refers to column to check their current cell references before editing.
Edit the name’s target range. With the correct name selected, click Edit. In the Refers to field, replace the existing reference with the new target, such as =Sheet1!$B$2:$E$15, and click OK. Use the actual worksheet name and cells in your workbook. Keep the leading equals sign and the dollar signs if you want an absolute reference that remains fixed when copied. If the sheet name contains spaces, Excel usually writes the reference with single quotation marks, for example ='North Region'!$B$2:$E$15. You can also use the range-selector button beside the field to return to the sheet and select the target cells; finish the selection and confirm it in the Edit Name dialog.
Confirm the change and test it. Close Name Manager, open the Name Box drop-down, and choose the name you edited. Excel should select the new cells. You can also type the name into the Name Box and press Enter. Check a formula or chart that uses the name, if applicable. Editing the definition changes what that name refers to, so dependent formulas may now calculate from a different set of cells. Save the workbook after confirming the result.

On Mac, the core process is the same: enter an address in the Name Box to navigate, and use Formulas > Name Manager to edit a definition. Ribbon layout and dialog details can differ slightly by Excel version. Excel for the web has a more limited interface for managing names; if you cannot find or edit the definition there, open the workbook in the desktop app and use Name Manager.

Common Mistakes

Assuming typing an address edits a named range. Entering B2:E15 in the Name Box selects those cells. It does not change what a name such as SalesData refers to. Edit the name in Name Manager instead.
Typing a new name while intending to edit an old one. When you type a valid name into the Name Box with a range selected, Excel can create a separate definition. Check Name Manager afterward to make sure you have not left two similar names with different targets.
Editing the wrong scope. A workbook-level name and a worksheet-level name can have the same text. A formula on a particular sheet may use the sheet-level name in preference to the workbook-level one. Check Scope before changing anything, and confirm the name behaves as expected on the relevant sheet.
Leaving out the sheet name or punctuation. A reference in Refers to should identify the correct worksheet and range. Use the range selector if you are uncertain about spelling or quoting a sheet name with spaces.
Overlooking absolute and relative references. A name may use fixed references such as =$B$2:$E$15, or references that can shift depending on context. Do not remove dollar signs casually; confirm the intended behavior before saving.
Expecting the selection to change cell values. The Name Box navigates to or labels cells. It does not move, copy, clear, or format the selected data.

Tips

Use a clear name that describes the data, such as MonthlyExpenses, rather than a vague label such as Range1. Descriptive names are easier to identify in formulas and Name Manager.
Use the Name Box drop-down to inspect names already available in the workbook. Selecting a name is a quick way to see which cells it currently targets.
When you have to select a large range, entering its address in the Name Box is often faster and more precise than dragging across the sheet.
Before changing a name used by many formulas, note its old Refers to address. If the result is wrong, you can reopen Name Manager and restore that reference.
Use Name Manager’s Refers to column as a quick audit of names. It can reveal names pointing to the wrong sheet, a short range, or an obsolete location.
For a name intended to grow as rows are added, consider whether a table is a better fit than a fixed cell range. A table’s structured references adjust as table data changes; a fixed range name does not automatically expand just because you type below it.

Troubleshooting

Excel says the name is invalid. Remove spaces and punctuation that names do not allow, and make sure the text does not look like a cell address. Start with a letter or underscore, such as TeamTotals. If you are editing a name, check that the name itself is not being entered into the Refers to field by mistake.
The Name Box does not jump to the range. Check the address for a colon between the first and last cells, and verify the worksheet name. For a sheet name with spaces, use single quotation marks around the name. Confirm the target sheet exists and that the workbook you mean to edit is active.
The name selects the old cells after editing. Reopen Formulas > Name Manager and verify that you edited the intended name and scope. A second name with the same text may exist at worksheet scope. Confirm the Refers to entry, click OK, close the manager, and try selecting the name again.
The Edit button or Refers to field is unavailable. Check whether the workbook structure or sheet is protected and whether you have edit permission. If the workbook is read-only, save an editable copy or ask the owner for access. Some name definitions created by Excel features may have restrictions, so check the specific name’s type and scope.
A formula changes after the range is redefined. That is expected if the formula uses the edited name: it now refers to the replacement cells. Restore the original Refers to address if the new calculation is unintended, then verify the formula and any charts or validation lists that use that name.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I edit a named range directly in the Name Box?

No. The Name Box can select a named range, or create a name for the current selection, but it is not the place to change an existing name’s Refers to range. Use Formulas > Name Manager, select the name, click Edit, and update Refers to.

What is the difference between a cell range and a named range?

A cell range is an address such as A1:C10. A named range is a label, such as ProductList, that refers to a range or another reference. The Name Box can navigate to either one, but changing a named range’s definition requires editing the stored name.

Can I use the Name Box to select cells on another sheet?

Yes. Enter a sheet-qualified reference such as Summary!A1:C8 and press Enter. If the sheet name contains spaces, enclose it in single quotation marks, for example 'Annual Summary'!A1:C8.

Will changing a named range update formulas that use it?

The formulas continue to use the name, but the name now points to the new reference. As a result, their calculated results can change. Check important dependent formulas, charts, and drop-down lists after redefining the name.

Why are there two names that look the same in Name Manager?

One may have workbook scope and the other worksheet scope. Excel can resolve the worksheet-level name differently on that sheet. Check the Scope and Refers to columns, then edit the definition that the relevant formula or feature is intended to use.

Does a named range expand automatically when I add rows?

A standard name that points to a fixed address usually stays fixed, so new rows may fall outside it. You can update its Refers to range as needed, or use an Excel table when you want references to follow added table rows.

Try it: the Date Difference Calculator: days, months, years and weekdays between two dates, with the DATEDIF formulas.

More in How-to basics

Sources: Function behaviour and menu paths: Microsoft Support documentation for Excel. Method & sources

Spotted an error in this guide? Let us know.