Excel #SPILL! error

A plain-words explanation of this Excel message: what it means, the usual causes, and the steps that fix it.

The message#SPILL!

Make the error yourself

Typed into Microsoft Excel 16.0 build 20326. This is the smallest example we could find that shows it.

The cell looked at: B1.

Excel shows: #SPILL!

Why it happens

Some newer formulas (SEQUENCE, FILTER, UNIQUE, SORT, XLOOKUP with a range) give several results at once and need empty cells below or beside the formula to show them: this is called "spilling". #SPILL! means that something is in the way. In the example the cell B2 holds the letter x, so the three results of SEQUENCE(3) cannot be written. Other causes: merged cells in the spill area, a Table (Excel tables cannot hold spilling formulas), results that would run past the edge of the sheet, and a spill range that is too big.

How to fix it

1. Click the cell with the #SPILL!. The small warning icon, and the dashed blue border, show where the results would go.
2. Choose "Select Obstructing Cells" from the menu of the icon. Clear or move them.
3. Unmerge any merged cells in the area.
4. If the formula is in a Table, move it out of the table or change it so that it returns one value.
5. If you want only one value, use @ before the function or pick one element with INDEX.

The corrected version

The cell looked at: B1.

Excel shows: 1

How to avoid it

Keep room below a formula that returns a list, and do not type notes underneath it.

Questions

This is an independent guide. It is not connected with Python, Microsoft, Google, GitHub or the Git project. Product names belong to their owners. Examples were run on 13 November 2026 in a practice folder or a blank workbook; your version may word a message slightly differently.