How do I use IF with multiple conditions?

Combine tests with AND (all must be true) or OR (any can be true) inside the first argument, or nest further IFs, or use IFS.

How many IFs can I nest?

Excel allows 64 levels, but readability breaks down after three or four. Use IFS, SWITCH or a lookup.

Can IF return a blank?

Yes, use two double quotes: =IF(A1="","",A1*2).

Is IF case sensitive when comparing text?

No. "yes" equals "YES" in an IF comparison.

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Logic

IF

Chooses between two outcomes based on a condition.

Syntax

IF(logical_test, [value_if_true], [value_if_false])

Example: =IF(B2>=60,"Pass","Fail")

Available in: All versions

IF tests a condition and returns one value when it is true and another when it is false: =IF(condition, value_if_true, value_if_false). It is the building block of almost every decision in a spreadsheet, such as pass or fail, late or on time, discount or none.

When to use it

You need a cell to show different results depending on another cell.
You want to flag rows (Overdue, Over budget, Missing) so they can be filtered.
You need to combine several tests with AND or OR inside one decision.
You want to avoid errors by checking a value first, such as returning blank when a cell is empty.

Arguments explained

logical_test. Any expression that evaluates to TRUE or FALSE, such as B2>100, A2="Paid" or ISBLANK(C2). Numbers also work, where 0 counts as FALSE and everything else as TRUE.
value_if_true. What the cell shows when the test is TRUE. It can be a number, text in quotes, a reference or another formula.
value_if_false. Optional. What the cell shows when the test is FALSE. If you leave it out, Excel returns the word FALSE, so supply "" to show an empty cell.

Worked examples

Pass or fail

	A	B
1	Student	Score
2	Ana	72

Formula: D2: =IF(B2>=70,"Pass","Fail")

Result: Pass

72 is at least 70, so the true branch is returned. Text results go in quotes.

Nested IF for letter grades

	A	B
1	Student	Score
2	Ben	84

Formula: D2: =IF(B2>=90,"A",IF(B2>=80,"B","C"))

Result: B

The second IF sits in the false branch of the first. For more than three outcomes prefer IFS.

Two conditions with AND

	A	B	C
1	Name	Age	Member
2	Cara	21	Yes

Formula: E2: =IF(AND(B2>=18,C2="Yes"),"Eligible","Not eligible")

Result: Eligible

AND is true only when both tests are true. Use OR when one is enough.

Try it

A tiny spreadsheet with example data. Edit the formula or any number and see the result.

Formula in F2: =IF(B2>=60,"Pass","Fail")

Example spreadsheet for IF
	A	B	C	D	E	F
1	Student	Score	Extra credit	Attempts		Result
2	Ann	92	Yes	2		Pass
3	Bob	74	No	0
4	Cy	58	Yes	3
5	Dee	81	No	1
6	Eli	66		2

Result in F2: Pass

Practice this in a lesson: Nested IF and IFS

Common errors and how to fix them

#NAME?. Text results written without quotes, such as =IF(A1>5,Yes,No), are read as names. Put "Yes" and "No" in double quotes.
Returns 0 or FALSE unexpectedly. If you leave the false branch empty, IF returns FALSE; if it points at an empty cell, it returns 0. Supply "" for a blank-looking result.
Numbers stored as text. A score of "72" typed as text compares differently from 72. Convert the data or use VALUE.
Too many nested IFs. Deep nesting is hard to audit. Switch to IFS, SWITCH or a lookup table.

Related functions

Frequently asked questions

How do I use IF with multiple conditions?: Combine tests with AND (all must be true) or OR (any can be true) inside the first argument, or nest further IFs, or use IFS.
How many IFs can I nest?: Excel allows 64 levels, but readability breaks down after three or four. Use IFS, SWITCH or a lookup.
Can IF return a blank?: Yes, use two double quotes: =IF(A1="","",A1*2).
Is IF case sensitive when comparing text?: No. "yes" equals "YES" in an IF comparison.