Excel is one of the most popular excellent tool for IT professionals and students in the world.
If you’ve ever scoured through a job application, seen Microsoft Excel as a desired skill, and decided you won’t make the cut – it’s not too late to change things.
Like anything in life, practice makes perfect, and the same goes for Microsoft Excel.
If you need a helping hand getting to grips with this in-demand productivity tool, it might be time to enroll in a free course and show employers that you can walk the walk, not just talk the talk.
So, to help you on your Microsoft Excel learning journey, we’ve put together this list of the best free online Excel courses WITH certificates.
Learn a valuable skill, make yourself more employable, and get certified to prove it.
Everyday Excel, Part 1 (Coursera)
First up, we have Everyday Microsoft Excel, Part 1, by Coursera.
Coursera is one of the leading online learning providers in the world, so straight off the bat, you know you’re going to be enrolling in a quality, professional-grade course!
This course is offered by the University of Colorado Boulder, and it’s targeted at people who want to learn the most important Microsoft Excel functions from scratch.
If you have limited experience with Microsoft Excel, this is the course for you! However, an experienced user can still learn a skill or two from the free course.
As you can see, this is part one of a three-part free course that takes its learners from introductory skills to more advanced ones.
The course is split into five modules (split over five weeks), and to pass each module, you’ll need to successfully complete a quiz and a hands-on problem-solving assignment.
In part one of the course, you’ll learn how to navigate your way around Microsoft Excel. The key skills you’ll learn are:
- Format and edit Microsoft Excel spreadsheets
- Implement functions including text functions, logical, and financial functions
- Manage data processing sets by removing duplicates, consolidating data, and analyze data analysis.
- Learn how to visualize numerical data by using different charts, including column charts, pie charts, and scatter plots.
As with all Coursera courses, you’ll benefit from flexible deadlines, a completely remote learning experience, and a shareable certificate upon completion.
This course is well thought out, and it covers the most important Microsoft Excel functions for beginners .
However, some concepts are quite advanced, even for experienced users, which may be difficult for some learners to get to grips with.
Pros
- Free: You won’t have to pay a penny to enroll or learn.
- Flexible Deadlines: You can change your deadlines if you need to, so you can make your learning work around your schedule.
- Varied Resources: You can watch videos, take quizzes, read, and do hands-on assignments. This variety makes learning easier, especially for beginners.
- Graded Assignments: All of your assignments and quizzes will be graded with constructive feedback.
- Complex Information Condensed: Concepts are broken into manageable chunks to make it easier for beginners to learn basic functions.
Cons
- Some Concepts are Too Advanced: Although this course is aimed at beginners, some concepts seem far too advanced and irrelevant, even for experienced Microsoft Excel users. This means beginner learners may need more guidance on their journey.
Excel Tips & Tricks (Linkedin Learning)
Microsoft Excel Tips and Tricks by Linkedin Learning is free for those with a Linkedin Premium Subscription, or you can take out a free trial and enroll in the course for free.
You’ll be guided through the most important Microsoft Excel tips and tricks you need to know by instructor Dennis Taylor, as he shares his most productive tips and shortcuts for users of all abilities.
Although this course can be taken by beginners, it’s most effective for learners who already have some Microsoft Excel knowledge behind them.
If you already know how to create formulas and can perform organize data entry, this course will show you how to speed up your processes and get the job done quicker.
This is a valuable skill for both you and your employers!
The course contents were recorded on Microsoft Office programs; however, they still apply to the latest versions of Office, so this course is still worth taking, regardless of what package you’re using.
This course will take you almost five hours to complete, but it can be accessed wherever and whenever you want, so you can make learning work for you.
All 13 chapters of content and quizzes can be accessed via tablet or mobile, too, making it easier than ever to learn!
The 13 modules featured in this course include:
- Seven significant shortcuts
- Ribbon and quick access toolbar tips
- Display shortcuts
- Navigation and selection shortcuts
- Data entry and editing shortcuts
- Drag and drop techniques
- Formula shortcuts
- Operational shortcuts
- Formatting shortcuts
- Analyzing Data management techniques
- Charting and visual object tips
- Basic Pivot Tables tips
- Tiny tips
If you want to speed up your Microsoft Excel processes, this is the ideal course for you.
However, this course is aimed at students with existing Microsoft Excel knowledge to learn from, so we wouldn’t recommend it for beginners.
You’ll have plenty of videos and quizzes to help you learn, and the instructor gets straight to the point with all the tips – it’s constructive, saves time, and is incredibly beneficial!!
Pros
- Multiple Resources Available: Learn via videos, quizzes, and more, to keep your knowledge fresh and make learning more enjoyable.
- Clear Instructor: All the videos get straight to the point but are still explained clearly and concisely.
- Useful Shortcuts: These shortcuts apply to all the main functions of Microsoft Excel, including formulas and data entry, so they’ll be useful for Microsoft Excel users in all fields.
- Free Certificate: Of course, you’ll get your free Linkedin certificate when you’ve completed the course to show your employers.
Cons
- Some Videos Aren’t Clear: Some videos in the first module are grainy and it can be difficult to see.
- Only Available on Premium: This course is only free to Linkedin Premium users or those with a free trial.
Easy Excel Basics For Beginners (Udemy)
Next up, we have Easy Excel Basics for Beginners by Udemy.
Udemy is another leading online educational provider, so if you’ve been looking for a quality online course, you’ve probably already heard of them.
The title of this course speaks for itself.
This course is aimed at complete beginners who want to learn how to create spreadsheets, format texts, adjust columns, and more.
All of the content you’ll learn in this course is at the most basic level of Excel, but it’s invaluable and will give you a solid foundation to enhance your learning.
This course is pretty short compared to our others – you’ll get access to around 40 minutes of video content, and each section features a short quiz to test your knowledge.
Some of the main things you’ll learn in this course include:
- How to navigate Excel
- How to create simple spreadsheets
- How to use Excel formulas
- Formatting text and arranging it alphabetically
- Formatting numbers into the currency
- Conditional formatting
- Adjusting columns and row sizes
The instructor will even show you how to print your work and get it formatted correctly – this is perfect for presentations or assignments that require smooth layouts.
If you want to learn more at the end of the course, you can access a bonus lecture from the instructor at the end, and you’ll be pointed toward other free online courses that you can use to boost your knowledge.
You can take this course for free or access the paid version, which offers access to more advanced functions and advanced techniques, including direct messaging with instructors, instructor Q&A, and more.
This is an easy, comprehensive course for complete beginners, and it doesn’t take long to complete, proving that you can enhance your Excel skills in a quick time!
Lectures are short and specific. However, when this course says basic, it means it.
Some concepts aren’t in-depth, so this really is for complete beginners.
Pros
- Short Course: This can be completed in under an hour, which is great for students who are short on time.
- Bonus Quizzes: This course is mostly video content, but with short bonus quizzes, you can test your knowledge at each turn.
- Accessible: This course can be accessed by anyone, anytime, anywhere – great for learning on the go.
Cons
- Some Videos are Too Short: Some videos are only 1 minute long – for beginners, this might not be long enough to absorb information.
- Very Basic: Although this is for beginners, it is VERY basic. However, if you’re not at all confident with Excel, it’s a good starting point.
Excel Skills For Business Specialization (Coursera)
It’s time to review another Coursera course with Excel Skills for Business Specialization. Let’s be clear – this course is NOT for beginners.
If you’re already familiar with excel, but you want to enhance your skills and make yourself more employable, this is a great course to choose.
This course is focused on developing ADVANCED skills for business.
As with all Coursera courses, you can learn from wherever you are, have a flexible schedule and deadlines, and you’ll have six months to complete this course.
Coursera recommends studying for at least 5 hours a week.
This course is part of Coursera’s specialization – this means you’ll have access to all their other specialization in free online courses, and you’ll also need to complete at least one practical project during your course.
If you don’t complete this, you won’t earn your certificate – so be prepared to put in the work.
This specialization comes with four courses: Excel Skills for Business: Essentials, Excel Skills for Business: Intermediate I, Excel Skills for Business: Intermediate II, and Excel Skills for Business: Advanced.
Throughout your time, you’ll learn key skills, including how to perform complex calculations, extract information from datasets, present data, how to design sophisticated spreadsheets, create and apply advanced formulas to help forecast data, and much more.
In the last course, you’ll learn how to build a professional dashboard in Excel, which is an invaluable skill for businesses.
Although this course CAN be taken by beginners, we’d recommend taking a more basic beginner course before starting this.
Without any prior knowledge of Excel, even the basic concepts in this course can seem daunting.
However, this course is excellently designed, and it takes a real deep dive into the most essential and advanced Excel skills.
Pros
- Very Thorough: This specialization is split into four separate most popular excel courses, all of which are incredibly detailed and thorough.
- Practical Tasks: With each course, you’ll get to take a hands-on assignment which is a great way to consolidate your knowledge and get you familiar with Excel in real-time.
- Self-Paced: You don’t need to stick to a schedule, and you can take as long as you need to learn this course.
- Various Other Resources: You can learn with videos, quizzes, assignments, and practicals.
Cons
- Complex: Even for experienced users, some concepts in this course are incredibly complex. Although they’re explained concisely, they may not be relevant to you. Do your research thoroughly before enrolling.
Excel For Beginners (Great Learning Academy)
Let’s finish up with another great beginners course: Excel for Beginners by Great Learning Academy.
These guys may not be one of the biggest names in online learning, but their excel courses are thorough and concise, and Excel for Beginners is no exception.
Excel for Beginners does exactly what it says on the tin: if you want to learn the basics and you have limited knowledge of Excel, this is the ideal foundation course for you.
This free learning course is paced, and you’ll have free lifetime access, so you can complete it whenever you’re ready.
This is also a pretty short but first course, and it comes with just two hours of video lectures.
If you’re looking for something simple and concise to fit your schedule, this is a great option.
It starts with a simple introduction to Excel, and then moves on to the most basic features, including data and time, tables and borders, and cell referencing.
You’ll also learn basic to advanced excel functions and formulas, how to sort data, filter, and more.
Although this course is predominantly video-based, you’ll be able to take quizzes at the end of each section to test your knowledge.
Once you’re done, you’ll have that all-important free certificate to add to your Linkedin profile or resume.
One thing we love about this beginner course is that it introduces the if-else condition in Excel.
This is something that most beginner excel courses don’t include (or skim over); however, this course introduces it gently and shows you how to use it in different scenarios.
Because this is a little more complex, it comes at the end of the course, but it’s a real high to finish up on, and it’s a great stepping stone to launch into more advanced excel courses with.
Pros
- Self-Paced: Study whenever you feel like it, and benefit from free lifetime access to the course.
- Concise Videos: Videos are short and clear and introduce concepts in an engaging way.
- If-Else Condition: This condition is introduced near the end of the course, and it’s an invaluable concept to learn Microsoft Excel, even for beginners.
Cons
- Can Feel Rushed: Unfortunately, some of the videos are a little too short. This made us feel like we were rushing over important concepts that could have been explained more in-depth.
- No Practical Tasks: You won’t be able to perform a hands-on assignment to consolidate your knowledge.
Best Free Online Excel Courses With Certificates Buyers Guide
Before you enroll in a free Excel course, there are a few things to consider, including:
Your Skillset
How familiar are you with free Excel tutorials? If you’re starting from scratch, don’t enroll in an advanced course, and vice-versa.
Choose a course that aligns closely with your own skills to make your learning journey easier.
Your End Goal
What are you trying to achieve? Do you want to start a new job, get a promotion, or simply learn a new skill in your free time?
Not all courses are designed to move you towards that promotion, or a new career. So, consider your end goal carefully before picking a course.
Your Schedule
How much time can you commit to learning? Thankfully, most online courses are self-paced, but not all of them.
If you need flexibility, don’t choose a course that requires a certain amount of hours per week.
Instead, choose something self-paced, remote, and with lifetime access so you can take your time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Best Free Way To Learn Microsoft Excel?
Enrolling in a free online course is the best way to learn Microsoft Excel.
Choose a course with a variety of resources, including videos and quizzes, and consolidate your knowledge in your spare time by practicing in free Excel tutorial.
Can I Get Excel Certified For Free?
Yes, you can get Excel certified for free.
Many of our courses, including those by Coursera and Udemy, are free to enroll in, and you’ll gain a certification at the end of your course.
Can I Learn Excel In 3 Days?
If you practice every day, it’s possible to learn Microsoft Excel the most advanced concepts within a month.
However, 3 days will only get you familiar with the most basic Excel concepts.
The Bottom Line
Excel is at the forefront of many businesses, meaning this skill is invaluable to learn, even now.
With plenty of free courses to choose from, what are you waiting for? Enroll, practice, gain your certification, and stand out from the crowd!
