HEX2BIN Function in Excel: Hexadecimal to Binary

HEX2BIN Function in Excel: Hexadecimal to Binary featured illustration

📎 This article includes 1 downloadable practice file ↓

⏱ 2 min readUpdated 28 September 2026

EngineeringLevel: IntermediateAvailable in: Excel 2007+

In this article
  1. Syntax
  2. Examples
  3. Example 1
  4. HEX2BIN in practice
  5. Where you will use it
  6. Worked example
  7. Mistakes people make
  8. Related functions
  9. Continue learning

HEX2BIN converts hex to binary text — each hex digit becomes four bits.

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Syntax

=HEX2BIN(number, [places])
Argument What it means
places Pad to this many digits.

Examples

Example 1

=HEX2BIN("F", 8)

Returns 00001111.

HEX2BIN in practice

Where you will use it

  • Expand hex flags to bits
  • Networking and device data
  • Teaching

Worked example

HexFormulaResult
F=HEX2BIN(A2)1111
A5=HEX2BIN(A3)10100101
1FF=HEX2BIN(A4)111111111

Results calculated in Excel.

Mistakes people make

MistakeWhat to do instead
Values above 1FFHEX2BIN only covers -512..511
Need paddingAdd places: HEX2BIN("5",8)

HEX2DEC · DEC2BIN

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📎 Practice files for this article

  • 📗
    Practice workbook: Engineering & conversion15 tasks on realistic sales data — type your formula, the Check column turns green when it is right. Answers sheet included.
    ⬇ XLSX · 34 KB

Free to use for learning. Files with macros (.bas) are plain text — import them with Alt+F11 → File → Import File, and always test on a copy.

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