The Format Painter tool in Excel allows users to copy formatting from one cell, text, shape, or object to another. To use it, select the item with the desired formatting and click the Format Painter button. For a single copy, click once, or double click to copy formatting to multiple selections. Then click the items you want to apply the formatting to. Press ESC to stop copying formatting.

1. Excel’s Format Painter Tool
Copy the formatting of a worksheet cell,
text, shape, or object using Format Painter
1. Select the shape, object, text, or worksheet cell that has the formatting that you want to
copy.
2. On the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, do one of the following:
 To copy the formatting to one other cell, text, shape, or object selection,
single click Format Painter.
 To copy the formatting to multiple cell, text, shape, or object selections,
double-click Format Painter.
 The mouse pointer changes to a paintbrush.
3. Do one of the following:
 To copy the formatting to a single shape, object, or piece of text, click the object
or text that you want to format.
 To copy the formatting to a single cell or range of cells, drag the mouse pointer
across the cell or range of cells that you want to format.
 To copy the formatting to several cells or ranges of cells, drag the mouse pointer
across the cells or ranges of cells that you want to format.
 To copy the formatting to several text selections, click each text selection that
you want to format.
 To stop the Format Painter, press the ESC key on the keyboard
(and the mouse pointer will return to its normal shape).