Conditional Formatting in Excel: Basic to Advanced Guide

When handling large datasets in Excel, it’s easy to lose sight of what matters without clear visual cues. Conditional formatting in Excel solves this by highlighting key information. In this guide, we’ll show you how to use conditional formatting to improve your spreadsheets with color scales, icon sets, and data bars, making your data clear and engaging.

What is a Conditional Formatting in Excel

Conditional Formatting is a feature in an Excel spreadsheet. It is used to maintain the status of the result easily. It is most often used as color-based formatting to highlight, emphasize, or differentiate among data and information stored in an Excel spreadsheet.

When it comes to applying alternative forms to data that fit particular criteria, Excel conditional formatting is a highly useful feature. It can make it easier for you to draw attention to the key details in your spreadsheets and quickly identify differences in cell values.

How to Use Conditional Formatting in Excel

Follow the below steps to Use Conditional Formatting in Excel:

Prepare the Data Set

Enter the Data into the excel spreadsheet.

1. Highlight Cells Based on Values

The Highlight Cell Rules feature allows you to format cells based on conditions like greater than, less than, between, or containing specific text. Follow the below steps to highlight cell rules in excel:

Step 1: Select the Column

Select the Column in which you want to apply conditional formatting. Here we have selected Column C(Salary).

Step 2: Choose Conditional Formatting

Go to Home Tab, Click on Conditional Formatting, Select Highlight Cells Rules and Click on Greater Than.

Alternatively Press the Shortcut to open the Conditional Formatting Menu:

• Alt + H + L

Step 3: Enter the Value and Press OK

Enter the value you want to highlight, choose a formatting style, and click OK.

Step 4: Preview Results

Press Enter and Preview Results. Cells with salaries greater than $60,000 will be highlighted in red.

2. Clear Rules

If you need to remove Conditional Formatting, use the Clear Rules option.

Step 1: Click on Clear Rules

Go to Home > Conditional Formatting > Clear Rules and Select Choose Clear Rules from Selected Cells (or Entire Sheet).

Step 2: Preview Results

The conditional formatting will be removed from the selected range.

3. Top/Bottom Rules – Identifying Outliers

Top/Bottom Rules highlight the highest or lowest values in a dataset.

Example: Highlight the Top 3 Performers

Step 1: Select the Cells

Select the Performance Score column (Column D) D2:D9.

Step 2: Select the Formatting Rule

Click Home > Conditional Formatting > Top/Bottom Rules > Top 3.

Step 3: Preview Results

This will highlight the top 3 employees with the highest performance scores.

4. Conditional Formatting with Formulas

Using formulas in Conditional Formatting allows you to create custom rules beyond the built-in options.

Example: Highlight Employees in the Sales Department

Step 1: Select the Dataset

Select the Data Range (A1:E9).

Step 2: Select the New Rule

• Go to Home > Conditional Formatting > New Rule.
• Select Use a formula to determine which cells to format.
• Enter the formula

=$B2="Sales"

• Click Format, choose a fill color (e.g., Green), and click OK.

Step 3: Preview Results

All employees in the Sales department will be highlighted.

5. Using Color Scales to Visualize Data

Color Scales use gradient colors to represent high, medium, and low values.

Example: Apply a Color Scale to Bonus Percentage

Step 1: Select the Bonus Column

Select the Bonus column (E2:E9).

Step 2: Select the Color Scales and Choose the Color Scales

Go to Home Tab, Select the Conditional Formatting, Click on the Color Scales and Choose a Red-Yellow-Green scale (or any other preferred scale).

• Green: Highest bonus percentage.
• Yellow: Medium values.
• Red: Lowest bonus percentage.

Step 3: Preview Results

Choose the Color Scale Pattern and Preview Results.

6. Highlighting Blank or Duplicate Cells

Sometimes, blank cells indicate missing data. Conditional Formatting can help identify them easily.

Example: Highlight Empty Cells in the Dataset

Step 1: Select the entire dataset

Select the Entire Dataset. (In the below example we have selected A2:E9)

Step 2: Select New Rule

Click Home > Conditional Formatting > New Rule.

Step 2: Select Format only cells that contain.

• In the drop-down, choose Blanks.
• Click Format, pick a color (e.g., Green), and click OK.

Step 3: Preview Results

Choose the Color and Preview Results.

How to Edit Conditional Formatting in Excel

You can easily modify an existing Conditional Formatting Rule in Excel by following these steps:

Step 1: Select the Cells

• Click on any cell that has a conditional formatting rule applied.

Step 2: Open the Rules Manager

• Go to the Home tab, click Conditional Formatting, and select Manage Rules.

Step 3: Choose the Rule to Edit

• In the Rules Manager dialog box, choose the rule you want to modify and click Edit Rule

Step 4: Make Changes & Apply

• Update the settings in the Edit Formatting Rule window as needed, then click OK to apply the changes.

How to Remove Conditional Formatting in Excel ( 3 Methods Explained)

You can easily remove conditional formatting in Excel using two simple methods:

Method 1: Remove Conditional Formatting Using the Clear Rules Option

This method allows you to remove conditional formatting from selected cells or the entire sheet.

Step 1: Select the Cells

• Highlight the cell range that contains the conditional formatting you want to remove.
• If you want to remove formatting from the entire sheet, you can skip selecting specific cells.

Step 2: Go to Conditional Formatting

• Click on the Home tab in the ribbon.
• In the Styles group, click Conditional Formatting.

Step 3: Clear the Rules

• Choose Clear Rules from the drop-down menu.
• Select either:
  • Clear Rules from Selected Cells – to remove formatting only from the selected range.
  • Clear Rules from Entire Sheet – to remove all conditional formatting from the worksheet.

You can also use the keyboard Shortcut

Press Alt + H + E + F on your keyboard.

Method 2: Remove Specific Conditional Formatting Using the Rules Manager

This method is useful when you want to edit or remove specific rules without affecting others.

Step 1: Select the Cells

• Click on any cell within the range that has conditional formatting applied.
• If you’re unsure, selecting the entire sheet will display all rules in the next step.

Step 2: Open the Rules Manager

• Go to the Home tab, click Conditional Formatting, and select Manage Rules from the drop-down menu.

Step 3: Choose the Rules to Delete

• The Conditional Formatting Rules Manager window will appear.
• From the Show Formatting Rules For drop-down, select either the current selection or the entire sheet.
• Select the rule you want to remove and click Delete Rule.

Method 3: Keyboard Shortcut to Remove Conditional Formatting

Removing conditional formatting in Excel can be a quick and easy task with the right keyboard shortcuts. If you want to remove all the conditional formatting rules from a selected range of cells, you can follow these steps:

Step 1: Select the Cell range

Select the range of cells from which you want to remove the conditional formatting.

Step 2: Press Keys

Press Alt + H + E + F on your keyboard.

This shortcut sequence will open the Clear Rules menu, allowing you to remove conditional formatting from the selected cells. Mastering this shortcut can save you time and streamline your data management process, ensuring your spreadsheets remain clean and organized.

Note: To use the keyboard shortcut provided above, begin by highlighting the cells from which you wish to remove the Conditional Formatting. Afterward, press the designated keys.

Excel Conditional Formatting Best Uses

• Highlighting Top and Bottom Values: You can use Conditional Formatting to highlight the highest and lowest values in a Dataset so that you can easily identify significant data points.
• Data Bars and Colors Scales: Represent data visually using data bars or color scales to create intuitive maps, making patterns and trends more apparent.
• Icons Sets: Apply Icon Sets to cells, by using symbols such as arrows or checkmarks, to quickly assess data against preset conditions.

Advanced Conditional Formatting Techniques

• Formulas in Conditional Formatting: You can use custom formulas to create complex conditions for formatting. This can help you for more precise control over the formatting rules.
• Cell Reference in Conditional Formatting: You can apply Conditional Formatting dynamically based on values in other cells using Cell References.
• Managing Rules: You can efficiently Manage and organize your conditional formatting rules through the "Conditional Formatting Rules Manager".

Conclusion

By mastering conditional formatting in Excel, you can significantly improve the clarity and readability of your spreadsheets. Whether you're highlighting top-performing sales, tracking deadlines, or simply looking to make data trends stand out, Excel conditional formatting offers a wide range of options to suit your needs. With these techniques, you’ll be able to create more dynamic and interactive reports that help you and others quickly interpret important information.