How to remove duplicates in Google Sheets
Learn how to find and remove duplicate rows in Google Sheets using the built-in Remove Duplicates tool in just a few clicks.
Quick answer
Select your data range, then open Data > Data cleanup > Remove duplicates. Choose which columns to check, confirm whether your data has headers, and click Remove duplicates. Google Sheets deletes repeated rows instantly, keeping the first occurrence of each unique entry and showing a summary of how many duplicates were removed.
Steps at a glance
- Select the data range containing duplicates.
- Open Data menu, choose Data cleanup, then Remove duplicates.
- Confirm if data includes a header row.
- Choose which columns to check for duplicates.
- Click Remove duplicates to confirm.
- Review the confirmation summary of removed rows.
Summary
The Remove Duplicates tool in Google Sheets scans a selected range and deletes rows that match exactly, keeping only the first occurrence. It's a built-in feature that works without add-ons, making it the fastest way to clean up messy spreadsheets before analysis or sharing.
Step-by-step guide
Step 1
Select your data range
Click and drag to highlight the range containing potential duplicates, including the header row if you have one. To select an entire sheet at once, click the gray box in the top-left corner where row and column headers meet, or press Ctrl+A.
Step 2
Open the Data cleanup menu
Go to the Data menu in the top toolbar, then hover over Data cleanup. A submenu appears with several cleanup tools, including Remove duplicates and Trim whitespace.
Step 3
Launch Remove duplicates
Click Remove duplicates from the submenu. A dialog box opens showing your selected range and asking whether your data includes a header row.
Step 4
Confirm header row and columns
Check the box labeled 'Data has header row' if your first row contains column titles, so those titles aren't mistaken for duplicate values. Below that, select which columns to compare — leave all columns checked for exact row matches, or uncheck columns you want Sheets to ignore.
Step 5
Click Remove duplicates to finish
Click the blue Remove duplicates button to run the check. Google Sheets deletes matching rows immediately and displays a summary popup telling you how many duplicate rows were found and removed.
Step 6
Verify and organize your cleaned data
Scroll through your sheet to confirm the results look correct, especially near row boundaries where deletions occurred. For an extra accuracy check, use /guides/google-sheets/sort-a-table to group similar entries together, or set up /guides/google-sheets/create-a-filter to quickly spot any remaining repeats.
Why this matters
You've imported a contact list or sales report and the same entries show up twice, throwing off totals and counts. Removing duplicates first ensures your summaries, charts, and formulas reflect accurate numbers instead of inflated or repeated data.
Frequently asked questions
Does Remove Duplicates work on partial column matches?
Yes. In the Remove duplicates dialog, you can uncheck any columns you don't want compared, so Sheets only flags rows as duplicates when the selected columns match exactly.
Can I undo a duplicate removal if I make a mistake?
Yes, press Ctrl+Z (or Cmd+Z on Mac) right after running the tool to restore the deleted rows before making any other changes.
Is there a formula-based alternative to the Remove Duplicates tool?
Yes, the UNIQUE function extracts distinct values into a new range without altering your original data, which is useful if you want to preserve the full dataset for reference.
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