How to Use Decimal Points Instead of Commas in Excel and Word
Question details
The user needs to change the default decimal separator from a comma to a decimal point (period) in Microsoft Excel and Word.
- Product
- Excel and Word
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Formatting numbers and utilizing dotted tab stops in spreadsheets and text documents.
- Observed behavior
- Numbers and values are displaying with commas for decimal separators instead of periods due to the operating system's regional settings.
Close all active instances of Excel and Word before modifying your system's language and region settings to ensure the new decimal formatting is applied correctly upon restarting the applications.
Change Decimal Separator in macOS Language & Region Settings
Adjust your Mac's global regional settings to force the operating system and all applications to use a period instead of a comma for decimal values.
Excel and Word inherit their default number formatting directly from your operating system. Modifying the macOS System Settings will immediately resolve the decimal separator issue across both applications.
Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen and select 'System Settings' (or 'System Preferences' on older macOS versions).
Scroll down the left sidebar and click on 'General', then select 'Language & Region'. If you are on an older OS, simply click the 'Language & Region' icon in the main grid.
Click the 'Advanced' button or look for the 'Number Format' section. In the 'Number separators' area, click the dropdown next to 'Decimal' and change it from a comma (,) to a period (.).
Save your changes, restart your computer to flush the system cache, and then open Excel and Word to verify that decimal points are now being used.
Override System Separators Directly in Excel (Windows)
If you only want to change the decimal separator in Excel without altering your computer's global Windows settings, use Excel's built-in advanced options.
Easily Control Number Formatting with WPS Office
WPS Office provides highly flexible formatting controls, allowing you to seamlessly switch between commas and decimal points without altering your computer's complex system settings.
- 1. Open WPS Spreadsheet Options: Launch WPS Spreadsheet, click on the 'Menu' button in the top-left corner, and select 'Options' from the dropdown list.
- 2. Access the Edit Tab: In the Options dialog box, click on the 'Edit' tab located in the left navigation pane.
- 3. Disable System Default Separators: Scroll to find the 'Use system separators' checkbox and uncheck it to enable manual input.
- 4. Set the Decimal Point: Enter a period (.) in the 'Decimal separator' text box and click 'OK' to instantly apply the new formatting to your spreadsheets.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my decimal point suddenly change to a comma in Excel?
This usually occurs if your computer's region or language settings were updated, often automatically during a system update. Certain regions, especially in European countries, use commas as the default mathematical decimal separator.
Will changing the decimal separator affect my existing spreadsheets?
Yes, the visual display format of your existing numbers will automatically update to show periods instead of commas, but the actual underlying numerical data and formulas will remain completely unchanged.
Can I change the decimal separator for just one specific document?
No, changing the system regional settings or adjusting the global application options applies the new separator format to all documents and spreadsheets opened on that specific device.
