Excel Circular Reference Warning: How to Fix and Prevent
Problem Scenario
Excel shows a circular reference warning and your formulas won't calculate correctly because a cell references itself in a loop.
Ad Advertisement
Solution Steps
- Find circular reference using Formulas > Error Checking
- Trace precedents to identify the circular path
- Break the loop by changing one cell to manual value
- Use iterative calculation if intentional circular reference
- Review named ranges for circular dependencies
Code Snippet
Go to File > Options > Formulas > Enable iterative calculation (if needed)