Excel filters display selected rows that meet specific criteria, making it easier to analyze large datasets. We’ll show you an easy way to do this, as well as how to use advanced filters and slicers.
How to filter data in a range
Let’s start by filtering data in a range (a group of neighboring cells). First, highlight the headers of the columns you want to filter in the range. Then, select the Data tab and click Filter in the Sort & Filter group to create a custom filter.
A down arrow button will appear in the headers. You can then filter data by criteria such as text, numbers, and dates, depending on the format of the data in the column.
For example, to filter by numbers (column A in our screenshot), click the down arrow button in the header of the column you want to use as a filter (A1 for us) and choose Number Filter in the menu. Then, select one of the comparisons in the menu. In our example, we will use the Greater Than or Equal To comparison.
Based on the filter you choose and the criteria you set, the range will be filtered to show the rows that meet the conditions you specified.
How to filter data in a table
When you create a table in Excel, there will already be filters added to the headers, making things a little easier. Otherwise, the process is similar to filtering data in ranges. For example, let’s filter data based on text (column B).
Using advanced filtering
Excel has an advanced filter that you can use to create complex filters that combine multiple criteria. This filter helps in scenarios where you need to filter data based on multiple conditions.
To use the advanced filter, you first need to create a criteria range on a different part of the sheet, making sure it has the same headers as the range containing the data. We’re going to place the criteria range above our initial range, as shown in the screenshot below.
Use slicers for interactive filtering
You can add slicers to a table in Excel to filter table data interactively. This allows you to quickly look at specific subgroups of data without creating complex filters.
With this basic knowledge, you should be able to dive deeper into filtering data in Excel. If you want to get even more advanced with filters, you can use Excel’s Filter function.