Add, Use and Remove Filter in Excel

Filtering in Excel is a tool for managing large datasets, enabling you to isolate specific data with custom conditions. Whether analyzing sales records or organizing inventory, filters simplify data navigation and enhance decision-making in Excel 2025, including cloud-based collaboration.

1. Adding a Filter in Excel

Excel's Filter feature displays data matching specific conditions, hiding the rest for focused analysis. Add filters using these methods.

• Home Tab: Select our data > Home > Sort & Filter > Filter.
• Data Tab: Select a cell in our dataset > Data > Filter.
• Shortcut: Press Ctrl + Shift + L or Alt + A + T. Drop-down arrows appear in column headers, ready for filtering.

2. How to Filter Data in Excel With Filter Option in Home Tab

The process begins with the drop-down arrow appearing on the headings of each column. In the Home tab, there is a "Filter" option under the "Sort and Filter" drop-down of the editing section. Follow the below steps to use the Filter tab.

Step 1: Select the Data

Choose the data, then opt for the "Filter" feature within the "Sort & Filter" drop-down menu.

Step 2: Preview Filters

Filters are applied to the chosen data range. The filters are represented by the drop-down arrows, as depicted in the image below.

Step 3: Select any Drop-Down Arrow to View the Filter

Click the drop-down arrow in any column to view all the content of the column.

3. How to Use the Filter in Excel

Step 1: Select a cell from the record.

Step 2: Go to the Data Tab

Under the Data tab, there's an option visible as 'Filter'. Click on it and we can see the drop drop-down on each column header. 

4. Shortcut to Remove Filter in Excel

Using Keyboard shortcuts to perform any operations helps to speed up daily tasks. Follow the below steps to use Filter in Excel:

Select any cell from the record and simply go with any of these methods:

• Ctrl + Shift + L (Press the keys together)
• Alt + A + T (Press the keys together)

5. Filter Examples

Consider a dataset of apparel store records with columns: Order Number, Date, Customer Name, Item purchased, Amount Paid. Below are practical examples:

• Example 1: How to Check the Purchase History of Marie
• Example 2: we need the sales record for 1st March 2022
• Example 3: we want to know the name of the items priced more than 2000
• Example 4: we want to filter the Records by Hoodie and Shorts

If we want to know what all purchases have been made by Marie, we can follow the steps below. This helps in understanding the customer relationship with the business.

Example 1: How to Check the Purchase History of Marie

Step 1: Click on the Drop Down of Customer Name

Click on the arrow near the Customer name  

Step 2: Click on Select All Option

Click on the Select All option.

Step 3: Check on Customer Name "Marie"

The filter is applied to the column which shows the purchase details of Marie.

Example 2: we need the sales record for 1st March 2022

In case we need all the sales made on 1st March 2022, apply custom filter options with each step given below. 

Step 1: Click on the Arrow near the Date

Click on the arrow near the Date. 

Step 2: Choose Data

Hover the cursor on Data Filters

Step 3: Choose Filter Option

Click on Custom Filters

Step 4: Select Date

Select the Date for which we want to see the Records.

The record for the selected date will appear in the sheet.

Example 3: we want to know the name of the items priced more than 2000

Here, we are going to discuss finding the records with 'Greater than' criteria to show up all records above the specified amount.

Step 1: Choose Amount Paid Filter

Click on the Arrow near the Amount Paid

Step 2: Choose Number Filter

Hover the cursor on Number Filters and Click on Greater than.

Step 3: Put Amount

Enter the Desired Filtering Amount

Sales records with the amount paid more than 2000 will be displayed.

Example 4: We want to filter the Records by Hoodie and Shorts

In case, we want to apply a filter on two options from the same column. we can do so by selecting desired options from the text filters. Follow the steps below.

Step 1: Choose Customer Name Filter

Click on the arrow near ‘Customer name’.  

Step 2: Choose all Data

Click on Select All.

Step 3: Select Short option

Check on Hoodie and Shorts.

The filter will show the records related to Item Hoodie and Shorts.

6. How To Apply Multiple Filters in Excel

We can apply multiple filters to a dataset for better analyzing and extracting relevant information. This feature of applying multiple filters to the dataset is said to be cumulative. Follow the below steps to apply multiple filters:

Step 1: Click the Drop-down Arrow

Click the drop-down arrow of the column which we want to filter (Here we are filtering Item Purchased).

Step 2: Filter Menu will Appear

Click on the Filter Menu to open the Filter.

Step 3: Check or Uncheck the Boxes

Check or Uncheck the boxes of the data we want to Filter, then click OK.

Step 4: Preview the Filters

The Filters are applied to the data.

7. How To Clear a Filter from Column in Excel

Follow the below steps to Remove the filter after applying it, or clear it from the worksheet so we'll be able to filter content in different ways.

Step 1: Choose Filter Option

Click the Drop-Down Arrow for the Filter we Want to Remove

Step 3: Choose Clear Filter Option

Choose Clear Filter From [COLUMN NAME] from the Filter Menu

Step 4: Verify the Data

Preview the Cleared Filter Data

8. How to Remove Filter in Excel

Step 1: Choose Data Tab

Go to the Excel Header Menu and choose the Data Tab

Step 2: Choose Sort Filter

Click on Sort & Filter Group and Click Clear

Step 3: Preview Data

Once you have made the desire changes preview data.

9. How to Filter by Color in Excel

If we have manually formatted or applied conditional formatting to our worksheet data, we can utilize color-based filtering.

To do this, click on the auto-filter drop-down arrow, which will reveal the "Filter by Color" option, offering one or more choices depending on the formatting in each column:

• Filter by Cell Color
• Filter by Font Color
• Filter by Cell Icon

For Example, suppose we've formatted cells in a specific column with three different background colors (green, red, and orange), and we want to display only the orange cells. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Click on the Filter Arrow

Click on the Filter Arrow located in the header cell of the column we're interested.

Step 2: Filter by Color

Select the Filter by Color

Step 3: Choose Color

Click on the Desired Color

10. How to Use Advance Filter

Sometimes Basic Filtering may not give we enough options, If we need a Filter for something specific, we can use Advanced Filtering options.

Excel includes several advanced Filtering tools, such as Search, Text, Date, and number Filtering, which can enhance our result to help we to find exactly what we need.

11. How to Create a Filtering Search box for Excel Data

Excel has the feature to search for data that contains an exact phrase, number, date, and more. Follow the below steps to filter with Search:

Step 1: Choose Filter

Click the drop-down arrow for the Column we Want to Filter

Step 2: The Filter Menu will Appear

Enter a Search term into the Search box. Search results will appear automatically below the Text Filters Field as we type.

Step 3: Preview the Filtered Data

The worksheet will be Filtered according to our Search term.

12. How To Use Advanced Text Filters

Advanced text filters can be used to display more specific information, like cells that contain a certain number of characters or data that excludes a specific word or number.

Step 1: Choose Filter form Drop-Down

Click the drop-down Arrow for the Column we want to Filter

Step 2: Go to the Text Filters

Go to the Text Filters then select the desired text filter from the dropdown menu.

Step 3: Enter the Desired Text in the Custom AutoFilter dialog box

The Custom AutoFilter dialog box will appear. Enter the desired text to the left of the Filter, then click ok.

Step 4: Preview the Filtered Data

The data is now filtered by the selected text filter.

13. How to Use Advanced Number Filters

Step 1: Select Drop-down

Click on the Drop-Down Arrow for the Column we want to Filter

Step 2: Open Filter Menu

Preview the Filter Menu

Step 3: Go to the Number Filters

Select the NumberFilters and then Select our preferred choice. Here we are choosing LessThan.

Step 4: Select our Preferred Criteria

In the CustomAutoFilter, we can Enter our preferred Value.

Step 5: Review Data

Once all the filter done preview the data