How to filter by color in Google Sheets
Learn to filter by fill color or text color in Google Sheets to quickly isolate highlighted rows in any dataset.
Quick answer
Select your data range, click Data then Create a filter, then click the filter icon on the column header. Hover over Filter by color, choose Fill color or Text color, then select the specific color swatch you want to isolate. Sheets instantly hides all rows that don't match that color, leaving a clean filtered view.
Steps at a glance
- Select the data range you want to filter
- Click Data then Create a filter
- Click the filter icon on the column header
- Hover over Filter by color
- Choose Fill color or Text color
- Select the specific color swatch
- Click OK to view the filtered rows
Summary
Filter by color lets you isolate rows or cells in Google Sheets based on their fill color or text color instead of typed values. It's built directly into the standard filter menu, so no formulas or scripts are needed for basic color filtering.
Step-by-step guide
Step 1
Select your data range
Click and drag to highlight the range that includes your header row and the colored cells you want to filter, such as A1:B11. Make sure every row you want considered is included in the selection.
Step 2
Create a filter
Click the Data menu at the top, then select Create a filter. Small filter icons will appear in each cell of your header row. If you already have a saved filter setup, you can use Data > Filter views instead.
Step 3
Open the filter menu on the target column
Click the filter icon in the header of the column containing your colored cells. A dropdown menu will open showing sorting and filtering options.
Step 4
Choose Filter by color
In the dropdown, hover over Filter by color near the top of the menu. A submenu will expand showing two options: Fill color and Text color.
Step 5
Pick fill color or text color
Select Fill color if your cells are highlighted with a background color, or Text color if the font itself is colored. A palette of the colors currently used in that column will appear.
Step 6
Select the specific color and apply
Click the exact color swatch you want to filter by, then click OK. Sheets will immediately hide every row where that column's cell doesn't match the selected color.
Step 7
Clear the filter when you're done
Click the filter icon again and choose Clear to remove the color filter and restore all rows. If you built this alongside a broader dataset, you can also compare results to a standard setup using /guides/google-sheets/create-a-filter for other filter types.
Why this matters
You've color-coded a status column — red for overdue, green for complete — and now need to see only the red rows without scrolling through hundreds of entries. Filtering by color lets you isolate exactly those rows in seconds, turning visual coding into an actual working filter.
Frequently asked questions
Can I filter by a color applied through conditional formatting?
No, the standard Filter by color menu only recognizes colors applied manually through the fill or text color tools. Colors generated by conditional formatting rules require a formula-based workaround or a script to filter correctly.
Does filtering by color work the same on the Google Sheets mobile app?
The mobile app supports basic filters, but the Filter by color option is limited or unavailable in some versions. For full color-filtering functionality, use Google Sheets in a desktop browser.
Will filtering by color delete or change my data?
No, filtering only hides rows from view temporarily. Your data, including all colors and values, stays intact and reappears once you clear the filter.
Can I combine filter by color with other filter conditions?
Yes, you can set a color filter on one column and a separate condition, like text or value filters, on another column within the same filter setup. Learn more general filtering options in /guides/google-sheets/filter-data.
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