XOR Function in Excel

Intermediate

Returns TRUE if an odd number of arguments are TRUE, FALSE if an even number are TRUE.

Syntax

=XOR(logical1, [logical2], ...)

Example

Use Case

Validate that exactly one of two payment methods was selected.

Common Errors to Avoid

  • Returns TRUE only when odd number of conditions are TRUE
  • Different from OR - XOR(TRUE,TRUE) returns FALSE
  • Not available in older Excel versions (requires Excel 2013+)

Pro Tips

Useful for 'one but not both' logic: =XOR(A1='Yes',B1='Yes') validates mutual exclusivity. For exactly one true out of two, XOR is perfect. For more than two conditions, behavior may be unintuitive.

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XOR Function in Excel | Excel AI Tools