Hands-On Excel Excel practice tests

Excel practice tests

7 free timed tests, each a set of small tables and questions on an Excel-style sheet in your browser. You answer with formulas, the site checks them on data you haven't seen, and your score comes at the end. Start with the 10-minute quiz, or pick a level or a job.

By Updated

Pick a practice test

The quiz first if you want a quick check, then a level or the job closest to yours. Each test runs on its own clock, with no hints.

Free, no sign-up. Your score is free; the full report, with what went wrong on each task and the lesson for it, comes with Pro.

How the tests are marked

What each test covers

The tasks in each test, by skill. Each test page lists the skills around them and has two tasks to try first.

Practice tests and the real thing

Employers' Excel tests vary. Some are timed online tests that mix multiple-choice questions with tasks in a real or simulated spreadsheet, some are a file to send back, and some are a task at the interview. What Excel interview tests check covers the formats and what the bigger testing companies publish about theirs. A practice test here won't show you their questions; it shows whether you can do the underlying tasks quickly and without slips.

These tests are practice, not a certification. Microsoft's own certification is Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS), a separate paid exam.

How to use a practice test

  1. Take one cold. No warm-up: the score tells you more that way.
  2. Redo what you missed. Each task comes from a challenge on this site; do that challenge from an empty cell.
  3. Take a different test, or the same one a few days later. The data stays the same, so an immediate retake mostly tests memory.
  4. Practise saying it, too. An interview may add questions out loud. Common Excel interview questions, with short answers.

FAQ

Is there a free Excel practice test?
Yes. All 7 tests here are free and need no sign-up. Your score is free; the task-by-task report comes with Pro.
How long is an Excel practice test?
The quiz is 5 tasks in 10 minutes. The others are 10 tasks in 25 minutes each.
Are the questions multiple choice?
No. Each task is a small table and a question, and you answer by writing a formula, or by sorting, filtering or building a pivot table. Any method that gets the right result counts.
Can I take a practice test more than once?
Yes. The tasks and the data stay the same, so leave a few days between attempts and redo the challenges for the tasks you missed in between.
Is it the same as my employer's test?
No. Hands-On Excel is not connected to any employer or testing company, and employers' tests vary. These tests practise the skills those tests are built on.
Do I need Excel installed?
No. The sheet runs in your browser, on Windows or Mac. A laptop or desktop is the most comfortable way to take a test.