2 Simple Ways to Clear Filters in Microsoft Excel

Remove Excel filters using the menu or a keyboard shortcut

Written by Rain Kengly

Last Updated: January 27, 2026 Fact Checked

Clearing All Filters

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Clearing Filters in One Column

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FAQ

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Video

Do you need to remove data filters in an Excel worksheet? Filters can be cleared from a single column or the entire worksheet. This may need to be done if you have filters hiding certain data in a worksheet. Here's how to clear filters in Excel using your Windows or Mac computer.

Removing Filters in Microsoft Excel

To clear all filters in an Excel worksheet, click the Data tab and select Clear in the Sort & Filter section. To clear filters in a single column, click the down-arrow or filter icon next to the column heading. Then, click Clear Filter.

Section 1 of 3:

Clearing All Filters

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Click Data. This is the tab in the top toolbar, between Formulas and Review.^{[1]
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- If you don't already have a workbook open in Microsoft Excel, open an existing project now or create a new spreadsheet.
- Microsoft Excel is available on Windows and Mac. You can also use the online web version at office.com.
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Click Clear in the "Sort & Filter" section. This will be next to a filter icon with an x. You can find this in the section between Queries & Connection and Data Tools.
- All filters in the worksheet are now cleared.
- If this option is greyed out, the workbook may be protected from edits. In this case, you'll need to unprotect it.

Section 2 of 3:

Clearing Filters in One Column

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Click the down-arrow next to the column-heading. In some versions of Excel, you’ll see a tiny funnel icon next to the arrow.^{[2]
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Microsoft Support
Technical support and product information from Microsoft.

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- If you add a filter to a certain column, such as a specific color, you can remove it without affecting the other filters in the worksheet.
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Click Clear Filter from "(column name)". The filter is now cleared from the column.^{[3]
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Microsoft Support
Technical support and product information from Microsoft.

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- If needed, you can even combine two columns into one.
- You can also use a keyboard shortcut. Select the column you want to clear, and then press Alt + ↓ + C.

Section 3 of 3:

Frequently Asked Questions

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Can I clear filters from a worksheet? To clear all the filters in a worksheet, click the Data tab at the top and select Clear from the Sort & Filter section. This will clear all existing filters.
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Can I clear a filter from a column? To clear a single filter from a column, click the down-arrow or funnel icon next to the column heading. A drop-down menu will open. You can then select Clear Filter From (column).
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How do I remove all the filters in a worksheet? If you want to completely remove any filters rather than just clearing them, click the Data tab and select the Filter button.
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Why is the Clear Filter option greyed out? If the option to Clear Filters is greyed out, make sure there are no hidden rows. Select the column, right-click it, and then click Unhide. If you still can't see the option, make sure the document isn't protected. If it's protected, you won't be able to make any changes that the creator has not allowed.
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How do I know if filtering is available? If you see a down-arrow in a column, this means that a filter is available, but it hasn't been used to sort the column data. If you see a filter icon in a column, this means that a filter has been used to sort the column data.