How to Use the Help and Tell Me Features in Excel

Microsoft Excel is a powerful application with hundreds of tools, commands, and features. While this depth is one of Excel’s greatest strengths, it can also be overwhelming—especially for beginners or users who don’t work with Excel daily. To help users navigate its complexity, Microsoft provides two built-in assistance tools: Help and Tell Me.

These features are designed to reduce frustration, speed up workflows, and help users discover Excel’s capabilities without memorizing menu locations or keyboard shortcuts. Whether you are trying to understand how a feature works or simply want Excel to perform an action for you, Help and Tell Me are invaluable companions.

In this article, you will learn what the Help and Tell Me features are, how they differ, where to find them, and how to use them effectively to improve your productivity in Excel.

Understanding Excel’s Built-In Assistance Tools

Before diving into practical usage, it’s important to understand the purpose of each feature.

• Help is primarily educational. It explains concepts, features, and procedures, often with step-by-step instructions and examples.
• Tell Me is action-oriented. It allows you to type what you want to do, and Excel takes you directly to the relevant command.

Both features aim to reduce the learning curve and make Excel more accessible to users at all skill levels.

What Is the Help Feature in Excel?

The Help feature is Excel’s built-in support system. It provides access to documentation, tutorials, troubleshooting advice, and explanations of Excel features.

Key Characteristics of the Help Feature

• Focuses on learning and understanding
• Provides step-by-step instructions
• Includes definitions, examples, and best practices
• Often links to related topics for deeper exploration

The Help feature is especially useful when:

• You are learning Excel for the first time
• You want to understand why a feature works a certain way
• You need guidance on complex topics like formulas, charts, or pivot tables

How to Access the Help Feature in Excel

There are multiple ways to open Help in Excel, depending on your workflow preference.

Method 1: Using the Ribbon

1. Open Excel.
2. Go to the Help tab on the Ribbon.
3. Click Help or Search Help.

Method 2: Using the Keyboard Shortcut

• Press F1 on your keyboard.

This instantly opens the Help pane on the right side of the Excel window.

Method 3: From the Search Box

In modern versions of Excel, typing a question into the search box at the top often triggers both Help and Tell Me results.

How to Use the Help Feature Effectively

Once the Help pane is open, you can start searching for information.

Searching for a Topic

1. Click inside the Help search box.

2. Type a question or keyword, such as:

   • “How to use VLOOKUP”
   • “Freeze top row”
   • “Protect a worksheet”

3. Press Enter.

Excel displays a list of articles related to your search term.

Reading Help Articles

Most Help articles include:

• A brief overview of the topic
• Step-by-step instructions
• Screenshots or diagrams
• Tips and common mistakes

Take your time to read through the article, especially when learning a new feature.

Exploring Related Topics

At the bottom or side of many Help articles, Excel suggests related topics. This allows you to build knowledge progressively instead of searching repeatedly.

What Is the Tell Me Feature in Excel?

The Tell Me feature is a command search tool that lets you describe what you want to do in plain language. Instead of navigating through multiple tabs and menus, you simply type your intention, and Excel takes you directly to the relevant command.

Think of Tell Me as a shortcut to Excel’s entire Ribbon.

Where to Find the Tell Me Feature

The Tell Me box is usually located at the top of the Excel window, near the Ribbon.

It may appear as:

• “Tell me what you want to do”
• A search icon (magnifying glass)
• A combined search bar in newer Excel versions

You can click inside this box at any time to begin typing.

How to Use the Tell Me Feature

Using Tell Me is simple and intuitive.

Step-by-Step Example

1. Click inside the Tell Me box.

2. Type what you want to do, such as:

   • “Insert pivot table”
   • “Freeze first row”
   • “Change column width”

3. Excel immediately displays a list of matching commands.

4. Click the command you want.

5. Excel performs the action or opens the relevant dialog box.

No menu navigation is required.

Common Tasks You Can Perform with Tell Me

Tell Me works best for action-based tasks. Some common examples include:

Formatting Tasks

• “Bold text”
• “Merge cells”
• “Wrap text”
• “Change font color”

Data Management

• “Sort data”
• “Filter column”
• “Remove duplicates”
• “Convert text to columns”

Worksheet Management

• “Protect worksheet”
• “Rename sheet”
• “Insert new worksheet”
• “Hide columns”

Analysis and Tools

• “Create chart”
• “Insert pivot table”
• “Conditional formatting”
• “Data validation”

If Excel can do it through the Ribbon, Tell Me can usually find it.

Differences Between Help and Tell Me

Although they complement each other, Help and Tell Me serve different purposes.

A good rule of thumb:

• Use Help when you want to learn.
• Use Tell Me when you want to act.

Using Help and Tell Me Together

One of the most effective ways to use Excel is by combining both features.

Example Workflow

1. Use Help to learn what a PivotTable is and how it works.

2. Once you understand the concept, use Tell Me to:

   • Insert a PivotTable
   • Refresh the data
   • Change the layout

This approach allows you to move seamlessly from learning to execution.

Tips for Getting Better Results

To make the most of Help and Tell Me, keep the following tips in mind.

Use Simple Language

You don’t need exact command names. For example:

• “Freeze top row” works just as well as “Freeze Panes”.

Be Specific When Needed

If your search is too broad, refine it:

• Instead of “Chart,” try “Create bar chart”.

Try Synonyms

If you don’t get results immediately, rephrase your request:

• “Protect sheet” vs. “Lock worksheet”

Use Tell Me Before Browsing Menus

When you’re unsure where a command is located, try Tell Me first. It’s often faster than searching the Ribbon.

Limitations of Help and Tell Me

While these features are powerful, they are not perfect.

• Tell Me may not find very obscure or newly added features immediately.
• Help articles may vary in depth depending on the topic.
• Internet access may be required for some Help content.

Despite these limitations, both tools continue to improve with each Excel update.

Who Benefits Most from These Features?

Help and Tell Me are useful for:

• Beginners learning Excel basics
• Intermediate users discovering new features
• Advanced users saving time on routine tasks
• Occasional users who forget where commands are located

No matter your skill level, these tools can significantly enhance your efficiency.

Best Practices for Long-Term Excel Mastery

Relying on Help and Tell Me doesn’t mean you’ll never learn Excel. On the contrary, they support long-term learning by:

• Reinforcing correct workflows
• Reducing frustration
• Encouraging exploration of new features
• Helping you learn by doing

Over time, you’ll naturally remember common commands, but Help and Tell Me will always be there when you need them.

Conclusion

Excel’s Help and Tell Me features are essential tools for navigating one of the most feature-rich spreadsheet applications available today. Help empowers you with knowledge, explanations, and structured guidance, while Tell Me transforms your intentions into immediate actions.

By understanding when and how to use each feature, you can work faster, learn more efficiently, and reduce the time spent searching menus or external tutorials. Whether you’re a beginner exploring Excel for the first time or an experienced user aiming to improve productivity, mastering Help and Tell Me will make your Excel experience smoother and more enjoyable.

As part of any Excel learning journey, these features deserve a central place in your workflow—and once you start using them consistently, you may wonder how you ever worked without them.