Google Sheets MIN Function (How to Use It in 2024)

MIN Function in Google Sheets

The basic syntax of the MIN function in Google Sheets is as follows:

=MIN(value1, [value2, ...])

Where:

value1, [value2, ...] are where you specify the numbers or range of cells you want to find the minimum value of. It can be any of the following:

• Direct Numbers: You can directly input numbers into the function, like =MIN(1, 2, 3).
• Cell References: You can also input cell references that contain the numbers, like =MIN(A1, B1, C1).
• Range of Cells: You can specify a range of cells using a colon :, like =MIN(A1:A10).
• Combination: You can also mix direct numbers and cell references, like =MIN(1, A1:A10, 5, B1).

Note: The MIN function will ignore any empty cells, text, or logical values (TRUE and FALSE) in the range or list of values you provide, focusing only on numeric values to determine the minimum.

How to Use MIN in Google Sheets

Below are the basic steps you can follow to use the MIN function in Google Sheets:

Step 1: Enter Your Data

Input the numbers across cells in a row or column for which you want to find the minimum value. For example, let's say you want to find the minimum value of the numbers 10, 20, 5, 15, and 30. You can enter these numbers in cells A1 through A5.

Step 2: Select the Cell for the Result

Click on the cell where you want the result from the MIN function to appear. This cell is where the formula will be entered. Let's say you choose cell A6 for the output.

Step 3: Enter the MIN Function

Type the MIN function into the selected cell. Specify the range of cells containing the numbers you're comparing. For our example, since you've entered the numbers in cells A1 through A5, you would type A1:A5.

Hence, our formula should be: 

=MIN(A1:A5)

The cell where you entered the formula (A6 in our example) should automatically display the minimum value from the specified range. For the numbers 10, 20, 5, 15, and 30, the minimum value is 5.

We hope that this article has helped you and given you a better understanding of how to use MIN in Google Sheets. If you enjoyed this article, you might also like our articles on how to fix the issue when you're unable to load a file in Google Sheets and what to do if your tabs disappeared in Google Sheets.