What is the syntax for INFO in Excel?

The syntax for INFO is: =INFO(type_text)

What information can INFO return?

INFO types: 'directory' (current folder), 'numfile' (active worksheets), 'origin' (A1 reference style), 'osversion' (OS version), 'recalc' (recalculation mode), 'release' (Excel version), 'system' (operating system type).

How do I detect if running on Mac or Windows?

Use =INFO("system"). Returns 'pcdos' for Windows, 'mac' for Mac. Useful for formulas that need different behavior on different platforms, like file paths (backslash vs forward slash).

How do I get the current folder path?

Use =INFO("directory") to get the folder containing the workbook. Note: this returns the default file location, which may differ from the actual workbook location. For workbook path, use =CELL("filename") instead.

Information

INFO Function in Excel

Returns information about the current operating environment.

Syntax

=INFO(type_text)

Arguments

type_text (required): Type of info (directory, numfile, origin, osversion, recalc, release, system)

Examples

=INFO("osversion") - Get OS version - Result: Windows (32-bit) NT 10.00

Defensive formulas with INFO

Use IS* functions inside IF to branch on blank, error, text, or number cells.
Prefer [IFERROR](/functions/iferror/) when you only need a fallback display value.
Error hub: [Fix formula errors](/guides/fix-excel-formula-errors/).

Common errors

#VALUE! if type_text invalid

Use cases

System information
Debugging
Environment detection

Frequently asked questions

What information can INFO return? INFO types: 'directory' (current folder), 'numfile' (active worksheets), 'origin' (A1 reference style), 'osversion' (OS version), 'recalc' (recalculation mode), 'release' (Excel version), 'system' (operating system type).
How do I detect if running on Mac or Windows? Use =INFO("system"). Returns 'pcdos' for Windows, 'mac' for Mac. Useful for formulas that need different behavior on different platforms, like file paths (backslash vs forward slash).
How do I get the current folder path? Use =INFO("directory") to get the folder containing the workbook. Note: this returns the default file location, which may differ from the actual workbook location. For workbook path, use =CELL("filename") instead.

Editorial review

Reviewed by Excel.Directory Editorial Team. Updated May 2026.