How to Convert Kg to Lbs in Excel: 6 Best Methods to Try

Do you need to find out ways to convert kg to lbs to keep measurements consistent and compliant across different systems? You’ve come to the right place! Keep reading to learn some proven methods for kg to lbs conversion in Excel. 

Microsoft Excel consists of numerous functions that you can use when analyzing and visualizing data. One such task you can do is converting SI units like kg to Imperial units like lbs to match the requirement of your client, employer, or investor. If you know the following methods, you won’t have to jump to another online unit converter tool to convert kg to lb and then put it in your Excel worksheet.  

1. Convert Kg to Lbs by Using a Conversion Factor

1 kg equals 2.20462 lb. Hence, you can use this conversion factor to change entries in kg in one column to lb in another column. Here are the steps you can try on your Excel worksheet:

1. Create a new column for weight in lb just beside the column where weight in kg values are available.
2. Double-click the first cell under the lb column and paste the following formula:

=B2*2.20462

3. Hit the Enter key and you get the lb value for the corresponding kg value.
4. Now, copy and paste the formula across the column where you want to convert other kg values into lb. 
5. As soon as you copy the formula, the cells will start showing the converted values.

This method is suitable when you need to convert a small dataset and you remember the conversion factor for kg to lb. Hence, you can write down the conversion parameters in a small table within the worksheet where you’ve got weight measurement data.   

2. Convert kg to Lbs Using the CONVERT Function

The CONVERT function is the built-in unit converter for Microsoft Excel. You simply type the function and add the from unit and to unit for conversion purposes. You can also choose from other units of measurement like U for the atomic mass unit, ton for Ton, Nmi for the nautical mile, and so on. 

As you can see in the above image, you can scroll down the list of CONVERT table to find more units to convert. Now that you’ve got a good understanding of this important function of Excel, let’s see how to use it in a real-world scenario below:

1. Assign a new column for the weight measurement in lb.
2. Now, use the following formula in the first cell under the column heading:

=CONVERT(B2,"kg","lbm")

3. In the above function, B2 is the address where I’ve got a weight measurement in kg.
4. The first unit “kg” is the from unit and the later one “lb” is the to unit.
5. Now, you may need to change B2 to another cell address depending on your worksheet.
6. Hit Enter to change kg to lb.
7. Then, copy and paste the same formula across the lb column to convert data points from kg to lb automatically. 

3. Convert Kg to Lbs Using a Paste Special Command

You can also convert kg to lb using the Paste Special feature. In this method, you must write down the kg to lb conversion factor somewhere on the Excel worksheet so that the Paste Special feature can refer to the conversion factor. Here’s how it’s done:

1. Firstly, create the column for lb where you want the conversion to take place.
2. Now, copy the weight measurement data in kg as is in the lb column.
3. Then, copy the conversion factor value.

4. Select all the cells under the lb column for conversion.
5. Now, click the Paste button inside the Clipboard block of the Home tab on the Excel ribbon.
6. On the context menu that opens, click Paste Special.

7. Inside the Paste Special dialog box, select Multiply under the Operation section and click OK.

8. You should now see the converted values under the lb column of weight measurements. 

4. Use This VBA Code to Convert Kg to Lbs in Data Cells

This custom VBA function is nothing but an instant macro to convert any number in a cell to its corresponding lb value. Here’s how you can create and use this VBA macro.

1. First off, you must create the VBA macro in Excel VBA Editor. To do this, hit the Alt + F11 keys together.
2. The VBA editor window pops up. There, click the Insert menu on the toolbar and choose Module from the context menu that opens.
3. A blank Module will open. In that, copy and paste the following VBA macro:

Sub ConvertKgToLbs()
    Dim cell As Range
    For Each cell In Selection
        cell.Value = cell.Value * 2.20462
    Next cell
End Sub

4. Now, click the Save button on the VBA Editor toolbar.
5. Excel will ask you to save the workbook as Excel Macro-Enabled Workbook in a Save as dialog box.

6. Click the Save as type drop-down list inside the Save as dialog box and click Save.

7. Now, select any cell that contains a weight measurement value in kg.
8. Hit the Alt + F8 keys together to open the Macro dialog box. 
9. There, choose the ConvertKgToLbs macro and click Run.

10. Excel will convert the value to lb instantly.  

5. Use This VBA Code to Convert Kg to Lbs in Data Columns

The above VBA macro converts kg to lb values one cell at a time. If you need to convert a long column of kg values into lb, here’s how to do that using VBA macro:

1. On an Excel Macro-Enabled Workbook, create a new VBA Module and paste the following VBA script into the module:

Option Explicit
Sub Convert_Kg_lbs()
Dim row_number As Integer
For row_number = 2 To 8
Cells(row_number, 3).Value = Cells(row_number, 3).Value * 2.20462
Next
End Sub

2. The above VBA macro will convert values to lb if the data is in between the C2 to C8 cell range. For a different cell range, edit the For row_number, Cells(row_number, 3), and Value = Cells(row_number, 3) elements of the script appropriately.  
3. You can follow the steps mentioned earlier on the VBA Code to Convert Kg to Lbs section to create a VBA macro using the current script.
4. Once done creating the VBA macro, click the Save button on the VBA Editor and close the window.

5. Now, copy the kg values under the column C header and hit the Alt + F8 keys.
6. This should show the Macro dialog box.
7. There, select the Convert_Kg_lbs macro and hit the Run button.
8. Excel will convert the entire column of kg values into lb in less than a second. 

6. Convert Kg to Lbs Using a Power Query

If you’re importing a large data set containing weight measurements in kg in a specific column, you can convert the value to lb before loading the data. Also, you can use the same method on data from the Excel worksheet which you need to organize in Power Query. Here’s how it’s done: 

1. Highlight the column with the values in kg.
2. Head over to the Data tab on the Excel ribbon and choose From Table/Range.
3. On the Create Table pop-up, check if the cell ranges are correct and also checkmark My table has headers checkbox. Click OK to continue to Power Query.
4. If you’re importing data from a database, you can ignore the above steps. 

5. In the Power Query Editor, select the column with the values in kg.

6. Navigate to the Add Column tab and choose the Custom Column option.
7. In the Custom Column dialog box, under the Custom column formula section, enter the following formula:

= [#”Column1”]*2.20462

8. Replace Column1 with the actual name of the column under which kg values are listed. In the above example, it’s Empty Weight (kg). Thus the final formula becomes the following:

=[#"Empty Weight (kg)"]*2.20462

9. Now, give the new column a name like Empty Weight (lb).

10. Click OK to create the new column with the values converted to lbs.

11. Click File and then choose Close & Load to save the changes to the actual workbook in a new worksheet.

Conclusion

So these are pretty much all possible effortless ways to convert kg to lb in Excel. If you’re just starting with Excel, you can try using the initial methods like using a conversion factor and multiplying the kg values or the CONVERT factor.

If you’re an advanced user and need automation, you can go ahead with the VBA scripts and Power Query formula to change kg to lb in a flash. Give any of these methods a quick try and let me know how was your experience by commenting below.