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Finding duplicates in Excel means Excel detects repeated values in a selected range and applies a visual marker to these entries through Conditional Formatting. To find duplicates in Excel, follow these steps:

1. Select the range of cells you want to examine.

2. Go to Home on the Ribbon.

3. Select Conditional Formatting.

4. Select Highlight Cells Rules.

5. Select Duplicate Values.

6. Choose the formatting style from the dropdown menu.

7. Select OK to apply the formatting.

Excel highlights all cells with repeated content in the selected range.

Windows vs. Mac Differences

Excel for Windows and Excel for Mac use the same path for this feature.
The Ribbon layout differs visually, yet the location of Conditional Formatting → Highlight Cells Rules → Duplicate Values remains identical.

Why does Excel highlight duplicates?

Excel highlights duplicates because Conditional Formatting applies rule-based formats to cell values based on their evaluation results. Repeated values satisfy the duplicate rule and receive the assigned highlight color.

How to highlight duplicates across multiple columns

To highlight duplicates across columns, follow these steps:

1. Select all relevant columns.

2. Go to Home → Conditional Formatting.

3. Select Highlight Cells Rules → Duplicate Values.

4. Confirm the formatting style.

5. Select OK.

Excel treats the entire selection as one dataset and highlights any repeated value across all selected columns.

How to find duplicates using advanced rules

Excel supports custom formulas in Conditional Formatting for precision control. These rules detect duplicates based on defined criteria such as full-row matches or partial-column checks.

Example: Highlight entire rows with duplicate entries in one column

1. Select all rows you want to format.

2. Go to Conditional Formatting → New Rule.

3. Select Use a formula to determine which cells to format.

4. Enter the formula without nested statements:

   =COUNTIF($A:$A, A1) > 1

5. Set the format style.

6. Select OK.

The rule checks the frequency of each value in column A and highlights all rows with duplicate values.

How to remove duplicate highlighting

You remove duplicate highlighting by clearing the rules.

1. Select the formatted range.

2. Go to Conditional Formatting.

3. Select Clear Rules.

4. Select Clear Rules from Selected Cells or Clear Rules from Entire Sheet.

How to find duplicates without highlighting

Excel identifies duplicates without color by using filtering.

1. Select the column with potential duplicates.

2. Go to Data → Advanced.

3. Check Unique records only.

4. Select OK.

The filter isolates unique values and excludes repeated ones.

What are the accuracy considerations when finding duplicates?

Excel treats duplicates based on exact matches. The detection depends on these attributes:

1. Text-case sensitivity: Excel treats “Alpha” and “alpha” as identical.

2. Leading or trailing spaces: Excel counts “Data” and “Data ” as different values.

3. Formatting differences: Excel compares raw cell values, not their visible formats.

4. Percentage and date values: Excel evaluates underlying numeric codes.

Excel identifies duplicates accurately when data is normalized by trimming spaces and converting inconsistent formats.

Best practices for duplicate management

1. Use TRIM and CLEAN before running duplicate checks to reduce errors.

2. Convert data types consistently using Text to Columns.

3. Scan large lists by column rather than full-table ranges.

4. Create a backup sheet before applying deletion rules.

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