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If y'all have data in a spreadsheet that y'all desire to review quickly, having differences highlighted automatically can save you lot fourth dimension. You lot might not realize information technology, only Microsoft Excel has a congenital-in feature for easily displaying row differences.

One time yous locate the differing data, you lot can as well employ formatting to proceed those differences highlighted. Then, get to work on updating, correcting, or analyzing the data in your spreadsheet.

Find Row Differences in Excel

The offset step in locating differences in your data is to select the cells. Drag your cursor through a group of cells or side by side rows.

Next, caput to the Dwelling tab and the Editing section of the ribbon. Click "Find & Select" and choice "Go To Special" in the drop-downward list.

In the window that pops open, choose "Row Differences" and click "OK."

The window will automatically close, and you'll see the differences in your rows highlighted.

Row Differences in Excel

The Agile Cell and Row Differences

It's essential to know that the differences highlighted are based on the active cell. As you tin can see in the screenshot below, the agile cell is A1 because it'due south white. This is the commencement jail cell that we selected when we dragged through the range. The same rule applies if you select rows instead of a cell range.

Active cell in range of selected cells

This ways that the information in the subsequent rows that you lot see highlighted differs from that agile cell'south column. In the screenshot below, you tin can encounter that cells B4 and C4 are highlighted because they both differ from A4.

Two row differences in Excel

But in the following screenshot, only cell B5 is highlighted. This is because the data in C5 matches that in A5.

One row difference in Excel

If you want to change the agile cell, you tin can press Enter on Windows or Render on Mac with the Tab primal to move to the prison cell that y'all desire to make active. Yous can also first selecting the cell range with a different jail cell to make that one active. Merely proceed in mind that this affects the differences that display.

The cardinal affair to call up here is that row differences are based on the agile jail cell.

Note: In the screenshots higher up, cell C3 became the active cell later on applying row differences. Y'all tin still see the highlight indicator equally a border.

Highlight Row Differences in Excel

Later you apply the Get To Special feature in a higher place and see your row differences highlighted, you lot can stay on the Abode tab and use a formatting option in the ribbon.

The Font section on the Domicile tab gives you options to change the text to assuming, italics, or underline too every bit adjust the font style, size, and color. Alternatively or in addition, you can select a fill color for the cells or apply a border.

Font formatting section in ribbon

Once you use your desired formatting to the cells, you can at present travel about the sheet. The formatting that yous manually practical volition stick.

Fill formatted row differences

There are so many uses for Microsoft Excel that we end up with varieties of means to accomplish tasks within it. So, if you lot're interested in the opposite of differences and want to catch indistinguishable data or just remove indistinguishable rows in Excel, those are likewise like shooting fish in a barrel tricks to larn.