The Excel MAXA function returns the largest value in a list, but unlike MAX it counts logical values and text — TRUE is treated as 1, FALSE and text as 0 — so empty cells are still ignored but other entries are not.
Syntax
| Argument | Description | |
|---|---|---|
value1 | Required | The first value, cell reference, or range to evaluate. |
value2, ... | Optional | Up to 254 additional values or ranges. Logical TRUE counts as 1; FALSE and text count as 0; empty cells are ignored. |
How to use it
MAXA works like MAX but changes how non-numbers are treated. The key differences:
| Entry type | MAX | MAXA |
|---|---|---|
| TRUE | ignored | counts as 1 |
| FALSE | ignored | counts as 0 |
| Text (incl. "") | ignored | counts as 0 |
| Empty cell | ignored | ignored |
That last example is the gotcha: because text and FALSE count as 0, a range of all-negative numbers mixed with text returns 0 from MAXA but the true negative maximum from MAX.
When to use MAX instead: if your data may contain text or FALSE that should be skipped (not treated as 0), use MAX — MAXA can mask the real maximum of negative numbers.
Try it: interactive demo
Pick a MAXA example to see the formula and its result.
Practice workbook
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between MAX and MAXA?
Does MAXA count TRUE and FALSE?
Why does MAXA return 0 for my negative numbers?
MAX if those entries should be ignored instead.Does MAXA count empty cells as zero?
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