What is R1C1 notation?

R1C1 notation identifies a cell by its row and column numbers, written as R then the row, C then the column. So R3C2 means row 3, column 2, which is the same cell as B3 in A1 notation.

How does A1 notation differ from R1C1?

A1 notation labels the column with letters and the row with a number, like B3. R1C1 uses numbers for both axes. R1C1 makes relative offsets and formula patterns easier to read.

How are the column letters and numbers related?

Columns use bijective base-26: A=1, B=2, up to Z=26, then AA=27. The converter applies this exact mapping so B becomes column 2 and AA becomes column 27.

Can it convert cell ranges?

Yes. Enter a range with a colon such as A1:C10 and both endpoints are converted, producing R1C1:R10C3. Single-cell references work the same way without a colon.

Does it support relative R1C1 offsets like RC[-1]?

This converter handles absolute references where the row and column are explicit numbers. Relative bracketed offsets such as R[1]C[-2] depend on the active cell and are outside its scope.

A1 ↔ R1C1 Notation Converter

A1 versus R1C1

Spreadsheets can address cells in two styles. A1 notation, the default in Excel and Google Sheets, names the column with letters and the row with a number, for example B3. R1C1 notation names both the row and the column with numbers, so the same cell is R3C2. R1C1 is popular for writing formulas because relative positions become obvious arithmetic rather than shifting letters.

How it works

Converting between the two styles is really about converting the column between letters and a number using bijective base-26 (A=1, B=2, … Z=26, AA=27).

From A1 to R1C1, the tool splits the label into its letter and digit parts, turns the letters into a column number, and emits R{row}C{column}:

B3  ->  R3C2

From R1C1 back to A1, it reads the numeric row and column, converts the column number back into letters, and joins them:

R3C2  ->  B3

Ranges are handled by splitting on the colon and converting each endpoint independently, so A1:C10 round-trips to R1C1:R10C3.

Example and tips

The cell AA1 sits in column 27, so it converts to R1C27. Going the other way, R5C28 becomes AB5 because column 28 is AB. Because the column math is the same bijective base-26 scheme Excel uses internally, the conversions are exact for any column index, including the far-right columns of a large sheet.