Information

ISNONTEXT Function in Excel

Returns TRUE if the value is not text (includes empty cells).

Syntax

  • =ISNONTEXT(value)

Arguments

  • value (required): Value to test

Examples

  • =ISNONTEXT(123) - Test number - Result: TRUE
  • =ISNONTEXT("hello") - Test text - Result: FALSE

Defensive formulas with ISNONTEXT

  • 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

  • Empty cells return TRUE

Use cases

  • Data validation
  • Type checking
  • Filtering

Frequently asked questions

  • What is ISNONTEXT in Excel? ISNONTEXT returns TRUE if a value is anything except text - numbers, dates, logical values, errors, or empty cells. It's the opposite of ISTEXT. Use it to validate that cells contain numeric or non-text data.
  • Why does ISNONTEXT return TRUE for empty cells? Empty cells are not text, so ISNONTEXT returns TRUE. This can be unexpected. To check for non-empty, non-text values, combine: =AND(ISNONTEXT(A1), A1<>"") or =AND(ISNONTEXT(A1), NOT(ISBLANK(A1))).
  • What is the difference between ISNONTEXT and NOT(ISTEXT)? They're identical in result. ISNONTEXT(A1) equals NOT(ISTEXT(A1)). ISNONTEXT is more readable and slightly more efficient. Both return TRUE for numbers, dates, Booleans, errors, and blanks.

Editorial review

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