A Guide to Removing Duplicate Data in Excel

Removing duplicate data in Excel is crucial for maintaining accuracy and efficiency in your spreadsheets. Follow these simple steps to easily remove duplicates and improve your Excel experience.

Step 1: Select the Cells

To begin, click and drag your mouse over the cells you want to check for duplicates. You can also use the Shift + arrow keyboard shortcut to select a range.

Step 2: Go to the "Data" Tab

Next, navigate to the "Data" tab at the top of your Excel window.

Step 3: Remove Duplicates

Click on the "Remove Duplicates" button to bring up a pop-up window.

Once the pop-up appears, uncheck any columns with data that you want to keep and then click "OK" to delete the duplicates.

By default, Excel will keep the first occurrence of each value. If you want to view the duplicate data before deleting it, follow these steps:

Step 1: Select the Cells

Select the cells you want to check for duplicates by clicking and dragging your mouse or using the Shift + arrow keyboard shortcut.

Step 2: Go to "Conditional Formatting"

Navigate to the "Home" tab, if needed, and click on "Conditional Formatting" to reveal a dropdown menu.

Step 3: Highlight Duplicate Values

Hover over "Highlight Cell Rules" and select "Duplicate Values" from the options.

Step 4: Choose Formatting and Click "OK"

Choose the formatting option you prefer and all duplicate values will be highlighted in that style.

Now you can easily find and remove duplicates in Excel! Want to save even more time and effort? Consider using Excel templates with pre-formatted formulas to help you automate projections and more.