Summary

The Excel HEX2BIN function converts a hexadecimal number to its binary equivalent.

Purpose 

Converts a hexadecimal number to binary

Return value 

Binary number

Syntax

=HEX2BIN(number,[places])
  • number - The hexadecimal number you want to convert to binary.
  • places - [optional] Pads the resulting binary number with zeros up to the specified number of digits. If omitted returns the least number of characters required to represent the number.

How to use 

  • Excel only converts to binary numbers of 10-digits or less, restricting the input range to [-512, 511] (decimal).
  • The input number must be less than or equal to ten alpha-numeric characters, otherwise the function returns the #NUM! error value.
  • The internal (binary) representation of the hexadecimal number uses two's complement notation. The first bit indicates whether the number is positive or negative, and the other 39 bits indicate the magnitude of the number.
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Dave Bruns

Hi - I'm Dave Bruns, and I run Exceljet with my wife, Lisa. Our goal is to help you work faster in Excel. We create short videos, and clear examples of formulas, functions, pivot tables, conditional formatting, and charts.