Author: Oscar Cronquist Article last updated on November 13, 2018

Excel has a few built-in conditional formatting features, one of them highlights values that have at least one duplicate. The other one highlights unique values meaning there is only one instance of the value in the range.

How to apply conditional formatting

  1. Select the cell range containing the values.
  2. Go to tab "Home" on the ribbon if you are not already there.
  3. Press with left mouse button on "Conditional formatting" button.
  4. Press with mouse on "Highlight Cells Rules".
  5. Press with left mouse button on "Duplicate values..."
  6. A dialog box shows up, here you can choose from duplicate or unique .
  7. Choose a formatting you want to apply.
    • Light red Fill with dark red text
    • Yellow fill with dark yellow text
    • Green Fill with dark green text
    • Light red fill
    • Red text
    • Red border
    • Custom format...
  8. If you pick "Custom Format..." the following dialog box appears.
  9. Press with left mouse button on OK button.
  10. Press with left mouse button on OK button.

The following image shows unique values highlighted.

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