You cannot change the default Row (1,2,3,…) and Column (A,B,C,D….) headers, but you can give your spreadsheet the look and feel as if you had custom headings.
Solution
- Enter what you’d like to be your Row Headers in the first column leaving cell A1 blank
- Enter what you’d like to be your Column Headers in the first row leaving cell A1 blank (the sheet should look like this)
before changing row and column headers
- Format first row and column to match the color and width/height of the default headers
- In Excel 2003, go to Tools>Options>View Tab>Clear the Row & column Headers check box. In Excel 2007, click on View from the Ribbon and uncheck the Headings box.
Now, your sheet might look like this:

after changing row and column headers