The MIN function returns the smallest numeric value from a set of numbers or a range. It ignores text, logical values, and empty cells, making it ideal for finding the lowest score, price, or sales figure.
=MIN(number1, [number2], …)What does MIN do?
The MIN function is one of Excel's statistical functions. It scans the numbers you give it and returns the smallest one. You can pass individual numbers, cell references, or ranges, and MIN will compare them all and give you the lowest numeric value.
Why does this matter? Manually scanning a long column for the smallest value is slow and error-prone. MIN does it instantly and updates automatically when your data changes. It is perfect for finding the lowest price, the earliest date (since dates are numbers), the smallest test score, or the minimum sales figure in a region.
Imagine you are an office worker reviewing monthly expenses across departments. You have a table of amounts and need to know the smallest expense to flag potential data entry errors or identify the most cost-efficient department. Instead of sorting and scrolling, you type =MIN(B2:B10) and get the answer immediately.
When to use MIN
- Finding the lowest price among competing suppliers.
- Identifying the earliest date in a project timeline.
- Determining the smallest test score in a class.
- Spotting the minimum sales figure across regions.
- Checking the lowest temperature recorded in a week.
- Comparing the smallest value in a budget column.
MIN syntax
=MIN(number1, [number2], …)| Argument | Required? | What to enter |
|---|---|---|
number1 | Required | The first number, cell reference, or range to evaluate. Example: B2:B10 or 5. |
number2 | Optional | Additional numbers, cell references, or ranges to include. You can add up to 255 arguments. Example: C2:C10 or 10. |
What it returns: A number: the smallest numeric value among the provided arguments. If no numeric values are found, MIN returns 0.
MIN examples
1 Basic MIN with a range
You have a list of daily temperatures and want the lowest. The formula =MIN(B2:B6) looks at cells B2 through B6, compares the numbers, and returns the smallest. It ignores any text or empty cells in that range. Here, the smallest temperature is 12.
| A | B | C | D | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Day | Temp | |||
| 2 | Mon | 15 | 12 | ||
| 3 | Tue | 18 | |||
| 4 | Wed | 12 | |||
| 5 | Thu | 20 | |||
| 6 | Fri | 17 | |||
| 7 |
2 MIN with multiple ranges
Suppose you have two columns of sales figures for different product lines and want the overall smallest sale. The formula =MIN(B2:B5, C2:C5) evaluates both ranges together and returns the minimum. It compares all numbers from B2:B5 and C2:C5. The smallest value is 50 from cell C4.
| A | B | C | D | E | F | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Product | Q1 Sales | Q2 Sales | |||
| 2 | Widget | 200 | 150 | 50 | ||
| 3 | Gadget | 180 | 220 | |||
| 4 | Doohickey | 90 | 50 | |||
| 5 | Thingamajig | 120 | 110 | |||
| 6 |
3 MIN with text and blanks in range
MIN ignores text and empty cells. In this table, some scores are missing or marked with text like "N/A". The formula =MIN(B2:B6) only considers numeric entries. It returns 65, the smallest numeric score, skipping the text and blank.
| A | B | C | D | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Student | Score | |||
| 2 | Alice | 85 | 65 | ||
| 3 | Bob | N/A | |||
| 4 | Charlie | 65 | |||
| 5 | Diana | ||||
| 6 | Eve | 78 | |||
| 7 |
4 MIN for lowest expense in a budget
You are reviewing departmental expenses and want the smallest expense to identify the most frugal department. The formula =MIN(B2:B6) scans the expense column and returns the minimum. The smallest expense is 1200 from the Marketing department.
| A | B | C | D | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Department | Expense | |||
| 2 | HR | 2500 | 1200 | ||
| 3 | IT | 3200 | |||
| 4 | Marketing | 1200 | |||
| 5 | Sales | 2800 | |||
| 6 | Finance | 1900 | |||
| 7 |
Common MIN errors and how to fix them
| Error | Why it happens | How to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| #VALUE! | Occurs when an argument is text that cannot be interpreted as a number and is not in a range. For example, =MIN("abc"). | Ensure all direct arguments are numbers or valid cell references. If referencing a cell with text, remove the text or use a function like IFERROR to handle it. |
| #NAME? | Usually caused by a misspelled function name, such as =MIIN(B2:B5). | Check the spelling: it should be MIN. Excel's formula autocomplete can help. |
| 0 (unexpected) | MIN returns 0 when no numeric values are found in the provided arguments. This can happen if the range contains only text or is empty. | Verify that the range contains numbers. If you expect a minimum but get 0, check for hidden text or empty cells. |
| Wrong result due to text numbers | Numbers stored as text (e.g., '100 with a leading apostrophe) are ignored by MIN, so the minimum might be higher than expected. | Convert text numbers to real numbers using VALUE, Text to Columns, or by removing the apostrophe. |
Tips for using MIN
- Use MIN with a range like
B2:B100to automatically include new data as you add rows. - To find the smallest value with criteria, use MINIFS (available in Excel 2019 and Microsoft 365).
- Remember that MIN ignores logical values (TRUE/FALSE) and text in ranges, but if you type them directly as arguments, they may cause errors.
- Combine MIN with other functions like IF to create conditional minimums:
=MIN(IF(A2:A10="North", B2:B10))entered as an array formula. - Format the result cell appropriately if you are working with dates or currency.
- Use
=MIN(1,2,3)to quickly find the smallest among literal numbers without referencing cells.
Frequently asked questions
What does the MIN function do in Excel?
MIN returns the smallest numeric value from a set of numbers or a range. It ignores text, logical values, and empty cells in ranges, making it useful for finding the lowest score, price, or date.
How do I use MIN with a condition?
Use the MINIFS function for conditional minimums. For example, =MINIFS(B2:B10, A2:A10, "North") returns the smallest value in B2:B10 where the corresponding A cell is "North". In older Excel versions, you can use an array formula with MIN and IF.
Why does MIN return 0 when there are numbers?
MIN returns 0 if no numeric values are found. This can happen if the numbers are stored as text. Check that your numbers are not formatted as text (they would be left-aligned by default). Convert them to numbers using VALUE or Text to Columns.
Can MIN handle dates?
Yes, because Excel stores dates as serial numbers. MIN returns the earliest date when given a range of dates. Just format the result cell as a date to display it correctly.
Related functions
Every example on this page was recalculated by SheetSkill’s spreadsheet engine. MIN reference