What ROWS does
ROWS measures the height of a range or array. Use it to count the rows reserved for a list or returned by another formula. Cell contents do not affect the count.
Practical examples
Count the slots in a short list
Enter North in A2, leave A3 blank, enter South in A4, and enter West in A5.
=ROWS(A2:A5)
The result is 4. The range spans rows 2 through 5, including the blank cell in A3.
Measure a range with several columns
Enter this data in A1:C2:
| A | B | C |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 20 | 30 |
| 40 | 50 | 60 |
=ROWS(A1:C2)
The result is 2. Six cells occupy two rows; the three columns do not increase the row count.
Common mistakes and notes
Blank rows still count
ROWS cannot tell you how many entries are filled in. Use COUNTA when you need to count nonempty cells.
ROW and ROWS answer different questions
ROW gives a worksheet row number. ROWS gives a range's height: ROWS(A8:A10) returns 3, regardless of where the formula is entered.
Supply the range explicitly
The array argument is required. Include only the rows you want measured; a header included in the reference counts as another row.