How to Remove Duplicates in Google Sheets

We all know how powerful Google spreadsheet is, and simple to use. Apart from being having several features in it, there are thousands of Extensions can be added to the spreadsheet, which makes the work much easier and faster.

While working with the spreadsheet and having a huge amount of data stored in it, there is a possibility of having some duplicate entries created as well.

For instance, we are preparing some reports at our workplace, and due to some of the duplicate entries the final data won’t be getting matched and a lot of deviation might take place.

Using Google Extensions we can remove duplicate entries from the spreadsheet.

To find the same duplicate entries we need to put on a lot of effort, still, the possibilities are very less to find out the duplicate entry among the huge entered data we stored in the google spreadsheet, as we are trying manually for the duplicate entries.

In this case, it could be quite frustrating, cross-checking the entire data manually is not a simple task at all.

How to Remove Duplicate Entries in Google Spreadsheet

Well, we will see here how to do get it done in an automated way if it sounds impossible, then Google Add- on made it possible.

We need to get an add-on from google spreadsheet for the same. I have already written in my article the process of adding a new Add-on into Google Spreadsheet.

Please go through the same, if you don’t know how to add an Extension into the spreadsheet. The process is straight forward and simple, I am not placing it here again in this article.

The “Add-on” which we need to get added is Remove Duplicates. Once you get it added then follow the below steps to remove all the duplicate entries from your spreadsheet in few seconds.

The Remove Duplicates add-on will be displayed in the add-on’s menu.

Remove Duplicates

Now from the Add-on’s menu, find Remove Duplicates and then click on Find Duplicates or Unique.

Once performed this action pop-up window will appear asking to select the range from which we want the add-on to search for the duplicates.

For instance I have data in two columns “A” and “B”. And you want to search the duplicates from a certain range example (A1: B24), your range of selection might differ. specify your range and click on next.

The Add – on will automatically search for the duplicates after following all the four steps below.

Step 1 – In this step, we need to input the range amongst from which we want to find out the duplicates. Once the range has been input click on next for getting into the next step.

Step 2 – Next step is to what exactly we are looking for, Duplicates, Duplicates + 1st occurrences, Uniques, Uniques + 1st occurrences.

1. Duplicates – Select this if you want to search the duplicates amongst the entered data. As we are looking for the same, so go ahead and make the selection of the same.

It will select one amongst the duplicate and leave the other one. For instance, we have 256 twice in our data. So it will mark one 256 and be leaving the other one.

So that we can eliminate the marked entry and leave the other one. That is what we would like to do over here.

If you are looking for just eliminating the duplicates, then I would recommend going ahead with step 3

2. Duplicates + 1st Occurrences – If you make the selection of this it will filter both the duplicate values. For and instance 256 entered twice in the data, then it will mark both the 256.

It’s completely opposite of the first option so that you can choose which one you want to eliminate.

3. Unique – By making the selection of this it will leave out the duplicate ones, and filter (mark) only the unique values.

4. Unique + 1st Occurrences – Making the selection of this will filter the unique data amongst the overall data and also the 1st occurrences from a duplicate.

Step 3 – In step 3 you have to make the selection from which column and rows your want to find your duplicates data from. check the desired columns and rows required and click on next.

Step 4 – Here it asks in which color you want your duplicates data to get marked. Select any color which goes well with your eyes and visibility.

And there you go..!!! following the above all four steps, now your duplicate data will be marked with the same color which was chosen by you in step 4 Which makes the job easy to eliminate the duplicate data.

See the below image for better insights. Add-ons are really helped a lot.

Find Duplicates

I am sure you will find this simple tutorial helpful to remove all the duplicate entries from your Google spreadsheet.

We can easily eliminate all the duplicate cells by using this addon.

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