under what conditions is an excel cell considered populated.......

I can't actually see any definition of 'populated' in this context on Microsoft's web pages.

Personally I only regard a cell as populated if it contains some character. I don't consider mere formatting as 'populating' a cell.

However you could invoke the Humpty Dumpty doctrine from Through the Looking-Glass...

"When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less."

Maybe you should consider the concept of "clean and/or dirty".

If a cell has had no changes made to it, it is "clean" ... and this can be extended to the worksheet and, in turn, the workbook. If you enter data or format the cell, it becomes "dirty".

Consequently, when you then close the workbook, if any cell is marked as dirty, you will be asked if you want to save the workbook.

Regards, TMS

More details:

Using the following code:

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I get a count of 27573. then i delete 5 cells and still get 27573

I get the feeling that the code is counting all the cells in the used range.

john

That will always be the case until you save the workbook.

Saving resets the used range, which I guess is sort of what you'd want since until you've saved the workbook any cells you've made blank need to be available to an UNDO for instance and to that extent you might term them 'still used'.

Not sure whether that's how MS think about it but that's my take.

Hello john/nyc,

The UsedRange will always include formatted cells.

Maybe:

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Regards, TMS