# Microsoft Office Application Help - Excel Help forum > Excel General >  > [SOLVED] How to return the column letter of cell reference

## arekkusu03

Hi guys,

I was just wondering what formula to use to return the column letter of cell reference eg.

A1 = A
B1 = B
C1 = C

just like how the Row or Column formula shows the number of the row or column cell.

Thank you

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## JieJenn

I might be wrong, but I don't think there is a formula for that. You can probably use a formula like =CHAR(COLUMN()+96) to get convert column number to letter.

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## arekkusu03

Hi JieJenn, thanks it works

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## JieJenn

But why would you put cell reference inside column function though? The other way to do is using VBA.

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## vlady

maybe also this one if your extending to AA, AB ......---> to end

=LOWER(SUBSTITUTE(ADDRESS(1,COLUMN(),4),"1",""))   - small letters

or

=SUBSTITUTE(ADDRESS(1,COLUMN(),4),"1","") - caps

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## wills79

I realize this thread is four years old, but wanted to post in case someone else came along after I me with the same question.  vlady's suggestion worked best for me since JieJenn's formula only works up to column Z.

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## Nat55

Thank you both, Vlady and Wills79, great solution, saved me hours!

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## gothic chicken

> I might be wrong, but I don't think there is a formula for that. You can probably use a formula like =CHAR(COLUMN()+96) to get convert column number to letter.



A perfect, simple answer to what I needed! [_="Last TtC column: "&CHAR(MAX(A2:A10000)+65)_]

However, the OP mentioned getting the letter of a _cell reference_, so reversing that as =CHAR(CODE(a1)) will give that result (up to "Z"  :Smilie:  )

Like this:
...A...B
1 M1	M
2 A1	A
3 C7	C

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## SpreckR

Vladimir, thanks very much. This was helpful for me. I needed to column letters for documenting a very large spreadsheet

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