Sort & filter your data


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You can sort data in alphabetical and numerical order, or use filters to hide data you don't want to find.

Sort and Filter Your Data

To get an example spreadsheet and follow along with the video, click “Make a Copy” below.

Make a copy

Sort data in alphabetical or numerical order

  1. On your computer, open a spreadsheet in Google Sheets.
  2. Highlight the group of cells you'd like to sort.
  3. If your sheet includes a header row, freeze the first row.
  4. Click Data and then Sort range and thenAdvanced range sorting options.
  5. If your columns have titles, click Data has header row.
  6. Select the column you'd like to be sorted first and choose a sorting order.
    • To add another sorting rule, click Add another sort column.
  7. Click Sort.
Sort an entire sheet
  1. On your computer, open a spreadsheet in Google Sheets.
  2. At the top, right-click the letter of the column you want to sort by.
  3. Click Sort sheet A to Z or Sort sheet Z to A.
Sort by color
  1. On your computer, open a spreadsheet in Google Sheets.
  2. Select a range of cells.
  3. Click Data and then Create a filter.
  4. To find the filter options, go to the top of the range and click Filter Filter.
    • Sort by color: Choose which text or fill color to filter or sort by. Cells with the color you choose to sort by will move to the top of the range. You can sort by conditional formatting colors, but not alternating colors.
  5. To turn the filter off, click Data and then Remove filter.

Filter your data

Important:

  • When you add a filter, anyone with access to your spreadsheet will find the filter too. Anyone with permission to edit your spreadsheet will be able to change the filter.
  • The “Create a filter” option is unavailable under certain conditions. Learn more about these conditions.
  • Your filter settings are saved, ensuring consistent filtering even if the data you filter on is removed. To reset filter settings, you can remove the filter from your data range.
  1. On your computer, open a spreadsheet in Google Sheets.
  2. To create a filter, select an option:
    • Select a range of cells, then click Data and then Create a filter.
    • Right click on a cell or a range of cells, then click Create a filter.
    Learn why ”Create a filter” is unavailable
    The option to “Create a filter” can be unavailable due to:
    • Formatting
      • Check for any merged cells or hidden rows or columns in the sheet. Try to unmerge the cells and unhide the rows or columns.
      • Check for any conditional formatting applied to the sheet.
        1. Go to Format.
        2. Select Conditional formatting.
          • Make sure there are no rules applied.
      • Data validation
        • Check for any data validation rules applied to the sheet.
          1. Go to Data.
          2. Select Data Validation.
            • Make sure there are no rules applied.
      • If none of the above solutions work, you might not have access. To get access:
        1. Create a copy of the sheet.
        2. Check if the filter option is enabled in the copy.
          • If it is, you can use the copy of the sheet instead.
  3. To find the filter options, go to the top of the range and click Filter Filter list.
    • Filter by condition: Choose conditions or write your own custom formulas.
      Custom formula examples
      Find unique values within a data range
      • Select Custom formula is
      • Type =COUNTIF(data_range, data_range)=1
      Find text matching “Good” or “Great” within a data range
      • Select Custom formula is
      • Type =OR(REGEXMATCH(data_range, "Good"), REGEXMATCH(data_range, "Great"))
      • You can filter cells that have valid or invalid data validation rules.
    • Filter by values: To hide data points, uncheck the box next to the data point and click OK.
      • To create a filter and filter by cell value, right click on a cell then click Filter by cell value.
    • Search: Search for data points by typing in the search box.
    • Filter by color: Choose which text or fill color to filter by. You can filter by conditional formatting colors, but not alternating colors.
  4. To remove the filter, select an option:
    • Click Data and then Remove filter.
    • Right click on any cell then click Remove filter.

Once filtered, at the bottom right users can find the number of rows being displayed out of the total rows in the table.

Tip: Filters also apply to merged cells. Learn how to merge rows or columns.

Create, save, delete, or share a filter view

Important: If you only have permission to view a spreadsheet, you can create a temporary filter view that only you can use. Your filter view won’t be saved.

On a computer, you can filter data so the filtered data only applies to your view of the spreadsheet. Your filter view changes are automatically saved.

  1. On your computer, open a spreadsheet in Google Sheets.
  2. Click Data and then Create filter view.
  3. Sort and filter the data.
  4. To save your filter view, at the top right, click Save View.
  5. Click Save.

To delete or duplicate a filter view, at the top right, click Options More and then Delete view or Duplicate view.

To remove all filters, go to each filter view and click Options More and then Delete view.

Tip: You can’t change the order of filter views.

Find an existing filter view

Important: You can only apply one filter view at a time.

  1. On your computer, open a spreadsheet in Google Sheets.
  2. Click Data and then Change view.
  3. Select a filter view.
  4. Your filter will be applied to the spreadsheet.
  5. To close your filter view, in the top right, click Close Close.
Rename a filter view
  1. On your computer, open a spreadsheet in Google Sheets.
  2. Click Data and then Change view.
  3. Select a filter view.
  4. At the top left of the sheet, next to "Name", click the filter view name and type the new name.
  5. Press Enter.
Share or send a filter view link
  1. On your computer, open a spreadsheet in Google Sheets.
  2. Apply the filter view .
  3. Copy the URL.
  4. Share the filter view link.

Learn more about filters & filter views

Filters and filter views help you analyze a set of data in a spreadsheet.

You can use filters to:

  • Show a specific filter when people open your spreadsheet.
  • Sort your data after using a filter.

You can use filter views to:

  • Save multiple filters.
  • Name your filter.
  • Let multiple people find different filter views at the same time.
  • Share different filters with people.
  • Make a copy or create another view with similar rules.
  • Filter or sort a spreadsheet you don't have edit access to. In this case, a temporary filter view will be created.

Tip: When you have a formula that points to a cell inside a filtered range, note that sorting the filtered range won't change the formula. For example "=B2" will continue to be "=B2" when B2 is within the filtered range.

 

 

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