Can I copy color with an equals sign?

If I have a cell B5 that contains: =A1
This puts the value of A1 into B5.
If A1 is red, can I make B5 copy that redness? Is there an easy way to make it copy the color or format, not just the value, using a function? I can't find this in my excel manual.

Is there a way for cell to change color when it gets a certain input,
sort of like =if(x=5,turn red, don't change)?

Try Conditional Formatting as a Formatting Tool within Excel.

Format>Conditional Formatting...

Enter your values (ie 5 ... from your example) and then click on the Format button (bottom right) and you will be able to change background to red and text to bold-black or white. Whatever colour scheme works for you.

I've used this lots when I need to highlight lines that are, for example, below 10% or over 90% with different colors, and other things too...

Hope this helps.

CHA Stats

I had so much fun playing with conditional formating, forgot to say thanks MUDRAKER & CHA Stats.

Still trying to trick it (cell-C) into acting like a function that pulls in the color with the value.

Best I can do is get the cell next to cell-C to pull in the color by using to duplicate cells with conditional formatting and cell-B looking at the value of cell-A. Cell-B has the font color change with backround color so that value is invisible. Problem is you only have 3 choices?

there is a way to have unlimited conditional formatting, at least 20, it is a bit of code in these archives i think, but google it.

thanks, How about a value that triggers a macro that goes and gets the format in question puts it in the correct cell. Can I do that if I dig into macros more?

I haven't played with macros enough to know but it sounds like a security issue. (hmm, date/time triggers macro and excel macro takes over computer which takes over the internet which takes over the world and ... ?)

thanks, that's a little heavy for me yet. I'm still looking for something simpler, may need to bite the bullet and learn to use macros and vbasic.