How to Find Duplicates in Excel (2025 Step-by-Step Guide)

Managing data effectively in Excel often requires identifying duplicate entries, which can clutter your analysis or lead to inaccuracies. Knowing how to find duplicates in Excel is essential for maintaining data integrity. From using COUNTIF to find duplicates to applying advanced filters and PivotTables, this guide covers step-by-step methods to locate duplicates and even identify unique values for improved data clarity.

How to Identify Duplicates in Excel (4 Methods)

Are you looking for methods to find duplicate in Excel, below are the methods to search duplicates in excel spreadsheet:

Method 1: Finding Duplicates in Excel using Conditional Formatting

Excel Conditional Formatting Duplicates offers a fast and efficient way to visually identify duplicates in Excel. By highlighting duplicate values with colors, it simplifies spotting them within your dataset. This method allows you to identify duplicates without deleting them. Follow these easy steps to utilize this feature effectively.

Step 1: Open MS Excel and Enter the Data

Open MS Excel Spreadsheet and Enter Data into the Sheet. Before finding the duplicates, it's essential to ensure that the data is properly formatted and organized in Excel.

Step 2: Select the data

Highlight the cells in the column or table where duplicates might exist

Step 3: Go to the Home tab and Select Conditional Formatting

Then, click on Home on the Ribbon. In the Styles group, click Conditional Formatting.

Step 4: In Conditional Formatting, Select Highlight Cells Rules and Choose Duplicate Values

In Conditional Formatting, select "Highlight Cells Rules" and then choose "Duplicate Values" to easily identify duplicates in your data.

You can also use the Conditional Formatting Keyboard Shortcut:

For Windows:

• Press Alt + H + L (Windows) to open the Conditional Formatting menu.
• Press D to select Highlight Cell Rules, then D again for Duplicate Values.

For Mac:

• Press Control + Option + Command + M to access the Conditional Formatting menu.
• Navigate to Highlight Cell Rules using the arrow keys or manually.
• Select Duplicate Values from the list.

Step 5: Select Duplicate from the drop-down and Select Color

In the Duplicate Values box, select the formatting style which we want to apply to the duplicate values, and then click OK.

Step 6: Preview Result

Duplicates will be highlighted immediately.

This method enables you to excel search duplicates and excel show duplicates in seconds, streamlining data management and ensuring data accuracy.

Note: Excel can't highlight duplicates in the Values area of a PivotTable report.

Method 2: Finding Duplicates in Excel Using COUNTIF Formula

The COUNTIF function is a powerful and versatile tool in Excel that allows you to count occurrences of specific values in a dataset. By using COUNTIF to Find Duplicates, you can efficiently identify duplicate values in a column and categorize them as "Duplicate" or "Unique."

Step 1: Open MS Excel and Enter Data into the Sheet

Open Microsoft Excel and input your data into a new sheet, or open an existing Excel file where you need to identify duplicates.

Step 2: Select a Column in which you want to Reflect Results

Select a Column next to your data. For example, if your data is in column A, insert a new column B. Label the column with something meaningful, like "Duplicate Check."

Step 3: Enter the COUNTIF Formula

Use the formula:

=IF(COUNTIF(A:A, A2)>1, "Duplicate", "Unique")

Replace A:A with your column range and A2 with the specific cell.

Step 4: Drag Formula Down and Preview Results

Apply the formula to the entire column to identify duplicates and Preview the Results.

Tips:

Combine this with filters to quickly review duplicates.

Method 3: Find Unique Values Using Advanced Filter In Excel

Advanced Filters in Excel are a practical tool for isolating unique or duplicate records, especially when you need to keep your original data intact. This method lets you extract filtered results to another location for further analysis, making it highly efficient for managing duplicates.

Step 1: Prepare your Data Set

Open MS Excel and Enter Data into the Sheet. Make Sure your Data should be Clean and Should contain Headers.

Step 2: Go to the "Data" Tab and Select "Advanced" Option

Navigate to the Data tab on the Excel ribbon and Click on Advanced option in the Sort & Filter group.

Step 3: Configure the Advanced Filter

Once you click Advanced, a dialog box will appear with the following options:

Choose the Action

Filter the List, In-Place:

• Use this option if you want to display the filtered results directly within your current dataset.

Copy to Another Location:

• Choose this option to extract the filtered data to a separate location (preferred for duplicates extraction).

Specify the List Range

• In the List Range field, highlight the column or dataset you want to filter for duplicates.
• Ensure you include headers in the selection.

Set Criteria and Click OK

Check the box labeled Unique Records Only. This will ensure only unique values are extracted or displayed.

Step 4: Analyze Output

Excel will extract the unique records to the specified location.

Note: This method is only useful when you need to keep unique records only.

Method 4: Find Duplicates with a PivotTable

Pivot Tables are a powerful feature in Excel that can help you identify and count duplicates efficiently. They summarize large datasets by organizing and aggregating data into a clear, structured format. Follow these steps to find duplicates using Pivot Tables:

Step 1: Prepare Your Dataset

Before creating a Pivot Table, ensure your dataset is clean.

Step 2: Select the Data, Go to Insert Tab and Select Pivot Table

Highlight the column containing the data you want to analyze for duplicates. If your dataset contains multiple columns, select the entire dataset to maintain context. Go to Insert Tab and Select Pivot Table:

Step 3: Configure the Pivot Table

Once the Pivot Table is inserted, a blank table will appear along with the Pivot Table Fields pane.

Drag the Column into Rows

• Drag the column containing duplicate-prone data (e.g., "Data") into the Rows area.
• This will create a list of unique values from that column.

Drag the Same Column into Values

• Drag the same column into the Values area.
• By default, the Values area aggregates data using "Sum." Change this to "Count"

Step 4: Preview the Results

The Pivot Table will display a list of unique values in the Rows area.

• In the Values area, it will show the count of each value
• Any value with a count greater than 1 indicates duplicates.

Using Pivot Tables to find duplicates is a quick and efficient method for organizing and analyzing data. It not only identifies duplicates but also provides a count of how many times each value occurs, making it a versatile solution for data cleanup and reporting tasks.

Duplicates in Excel and Finding Unique Data - Advanced Methods

In addition to basic methods like Conditional Formatting and COUNTIF, here are some advanced techniques to search for duplicates in Excel:

• How to Compare Two Columns in Excel : Easy and Quick Methods
• How to Find and Remove Duplicates in Excel
• How to Count Duplicates in a Column in Excel (All Methods)

Conclusion

Spotting duplicates in Excel is a vital skill for accurate data management and analysis. With techniques like Excel Duplicate Finder, COUNTIF to find duplicates, and leveraging filters or PivotTables, you can ensure your data remains clean and trustworthy. Use these methods to streamline your workflow and gain confidence in your results.