Syntax
=COUNTBLANK(range)
range- The range to check for empty cells.
COUNTBLANK function in Google Sheets
COUNTBLANK counts the empty cells in a range. It's the quickest check for missing data, such as unanswered survey questions or unassigned tasks.
Practice COUNTBLANK
Task 1 of 1
How many guests are we still waiting on? Count the empty RSVP cells in D2.
Tip: while typing a formula, click a cell or drag across cells to insert references. Press Enter to check, and Tab to accept a function suggestion.
COUNTBLANK examples
Each example below runs against this sample sheet. The results are calculated by the same engine as the practice grid.
| A | B | C | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Student | Class | Score | Passed |
| 2 | Priya | A | 92 | TRUE |
| 3 | Leo | B | 67 | FALSE |
| 4 | Chloe | A | 48 | FALSE |
| 5 | Mateo | B | 81 | TRUE |
| 6 | Ines | C | FALSE | |
| 7 | Kai | C | 75 | TRUE |
| Formula | Result | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
=COUNTBLANK(C2:C7) | 1 | One student has no score. |
=COUNTBLANK(A2:D7) | 1 | Empty cells across the whole table. |
=COUNTA(A2:A7) - COUNTBLANK(C2:C7) | 5 | Students who do have a score. |
Tips and common mistakes
- Cells containing an empty string "" from a formula are counted as blank.
- COUNTBLANK takes exactly one range. To check several, add the results together.
Related functions
Learning step by step? COUNTBLANK is covered in Lesson 5: COUNT, COUNTA & COUNTBLANK of the free course.