The Problem (Q-score 5, ranked #191st of 303 in the Excel VBA archive)
The scenario as originally posted in 2013
Why does the following not work:
Range(Cells(1,1)).Value = 3
Cells(1,1) should essentially be the same thing as using A1 right?
(I realize that I could just do Cells(1,1).Value = 3, but I’m just curious as to why it doesn’t work.)
I read the MSDN entry and it shows that the first argument must be A1 style, yet something like this does work:
Range(Cells(1,1), Cells(2,3)).Value = 2
Totally confused.
Why community consensus is tight on this one
Across 303 Excel VBA entries in the archive, the accepted answer here holds niche answer (below median) status — meaning voters are unusually aligned on the right fix.
The Verified Solution — niche answer (below median) (+9)
Verbal answer — walkthrough without a code block
Note: the verified answer is a prose walkthrough. If you need a runnable sample, check Excel VBA entries ranked in the top 10 of the same archive.
When Range is used with a single parameter, the parameter is is interpreted as a range name.
Range(Cells(1,1))
is the same as using
Range(Cells(1,1).Value)
So you will get a result only is the value of Cells(1,1) is a valid range address in A1 style
Only when passed two range parameters are they interpreted as the corners of a range.
When to Use It — classic (2013–2016)
Ranked #191st in its category — specialized fit
This pattern sits in the 97% tail relative to the top answer. Reach for it when your scenario closely matches the question title; otherwise browse the Excel VBA archive for a higher-consensus alternative.
What changed between 2013 and 2026
The answer is 13 years old. The Excel VBA object model has been stable across Office 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 365, and 2024/2026 LTSC, so the pattern still compiles. Changes that might affect you: 64-bit API declarations (use PtrSafe), blocked macros in downloaded files (Mark-of-the-Web), and the shift toward Office Scripts for web-first workflows.