Logical

TRUE Function in Excel

Returns the logical value TRUE.

Syntax

  • =TRUE()

Examples

  • =TRUE() - Return TRUE - Result: TRUE
  • =IF(A1>0, TRUE(), FALSE()) - Use in IF - Result: TRUE/FALSE

Using TRUE in business rules

  • Build logical tests that return clear outcomes (Yes/No, Pass/Fail, tier labels).
  • Combine with [AND](/functions/and/) and [OR](/functions/or/) for multi-condition rules.
  • For many branches prefer [IFS](/functions/ifs/) over deeply nested IF.
  • Compare patterns in [IF vs IFS](/compare/if-vs-ifs/).

Common errors

  • Equivalent to typing TRUE directly

Use cases

  • Explicit logical values
  • Compatibility
  • Clarity in formulas

Frequently asked questions

  • Why use TRUE() instead of just typing TRUE? TRUE() and TRUE are equivalent in most cases. TRUE() is a function for compatibility with other spreadsheet programs. Some prefer TRUE() for clarity in complex formulas, but typing TRUE directly is more common and works fine.
  • What is the numeric value of TRUE? TRUE equals 1 in calculations. =TRUE()+TRUE() returns 2. =TRUE()*5 returns 5. This is useful for counting: =SUM((A1:A10>5)*1) counts cells greater than 5 by converting TRUE to 1.
  • How do I convert text 'TRUE' to logical TRUE? Use =A1=TRUE or =UPPER(A1)="TRUE" for comparison. For conversion: =IF(UPPER(A1)="TRUE", TRUE, FALSE). Note that text 'TRUE' and logical TRUE are different - ISLOGICAL('TRUE') returns FALSE.

Editorial review

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