How to Clear a Filter in Google Sheets Without Losing Data

To clear a filter in Google Sheets, open the sheet in a web browser and choose Data > Remove filter to turn off a regular filter. If you want to keep the filter controls but show every row, open the column’s filter menu, select all values, and click OK. Filtering hides rows; it does not delete them.

The right method depends on whether you want to remove the filter entirely, clear one column’s criteria, or leave a filter view. The steps below cover each case and explain how to check that the full data range is visible afterward.

What You’ll Need

A Google account with permission to view or edit the spreadsheet. To change filter settings, you may need edit access.
A web browser with the Google Sheets file open. These directions use the desktop browser interface; the mobile app may arrange menus differently.
If the sheet contains important work, consider making a copy first using File > Make a copy, especially before changing a shared sheet’s filter or sorting its rows.

Step-by-Step

Identify which kind of filter is active. Look for filter funnel icons in the header row. A regular filter usually appears as funnel controls on the column headings, with filtered-out rows skipped in the row numbers. A filter view has a dark or colored bar across the top that names the view and includes a close button, often shown as an X. If there is no active filter but rows are still missing, another issue may be hiding them; see Troubleshooting below.
To remove a regular filter completely, select the filtered data range. Click any cell in the table or range where the filter is active. You usually do not need to drag across the whole range, but clicking within the filtered range helps Sheets apply the command to the right filter.
Open the Data menu and remove the filter. Choose Data > Remove filter. The funnel controls disappear, and rows hidden by that filter should become visible. If the menu instead offers Create a filter, there may not be a regular filter active on your current range. Check whether you are in a filter view or whether rows have been hidden another way.
Check the result before continuing. Look down the row numbers and compare the visible records with the expected data. Removing a filter does not restore a previous sort order: if the rows were sorted while the filter was active, they remain in that order. If you need the original sequence, use an existing ID, date, or sequence column to sort the records back.
To keep the filter controls but show all values in one column, open that column’s filter menu. Click the funnel icon in the relevant header. Under Filter by values, clear any text in the search box so the complete list of values is shown. Then select Select all (or select every listed value) and click OK. This removes the values-based restriction for that column without switching off the filter for the entire range.
Clear a condition while keeping the filter. Open the column’s funnel menu and check whether a condition is active under Filter by condition. Choose that section and set the condition to None, if shown, then confirm the change. If your interface does not offer a None choice, use Data > Remove filter and create a fresh filter afterward. Recreating it is often clearer than leaving an old condition in place.
Clear restrictions in other columns too. A filter can have separate criteria on several columns. Repeat the values or condition steps for each column with an active funnel indicator or a restrictive criterion. Clearing one column does not automatically clear the others, so rows may remain hidden until every relevant condition is removed.
To leave a filter view, close the view rather than removing a regular filter. If the sheet has a filter-view bar across the top, click its X or close control. This exits the current view and returns you to the sheet’s normal view. Closing a saved filter view does not necessarily delete that saved view; it simply stops displaying it. Reopen the view only if you want to keep working with its saved criteria.
If you want to clear criteria inside a filter view, change the view’s criteria first. While the view is open, use its column filter menus to select all values or remove conditions, just as you would for a regular filter. Then close the view when finished. This keeps you from changing the shared sheet’s regular filter by mistake.
Confirm that nothing important was removed. Filtering and clearing a filter change which rows are displayed, not the underlying cell contents. Check the bottom of the data and any totals or charts that depend on the range. If expected records are still absent, look for hidden rows, a different filter view, or a filter applied to another range.

For a quick reset of a normal filter, Data > Remove filter is the most direct choice. Use the column-menu method when the filter itself should stay active—for example, when collaborators need the funnel controls but should see the complete list of records.

Common Mistakes

Choosing “Select all” before clearing the search box. A search term in the filter menu can limit which values are displayed. If you select all while the list is narrowed, you may not restore every value. Empty the search box first, then select all values.
Clearing only one column’s criteria. Filters combine criteria across columns. If a date condition is cleared but a status column still excludes records, some rows will remain hidden. Review every column that has a filter applied.
Confusing a filter view with the normal sheet filter. A filter view is a separate view and may have its own criteria. Closing it is different from removing a standard filter. Check the bar at the top before changing settings, particularly in a shared spreadsheet.
Assuming hidden rows were deleted. A filter conceals rows from view; it does not erase their contents. Avoid copying only the visible results and replacing the original table unless that is actually what you intend.
Expecting the old row order to return automatically. Removing a filter does not undo a sort. If order matters, sort by a stable column such as record ID or a saved sequence number.
Removing a filter from the wrong range. A sheet can contain more than one table. Click inside the intended data range and verify the header row before using the removal command.

Tips

Choose the least disruptive reset. If you only need to see all values in one column, clear that column’s criteria instead of removing the whole filter. This preserves the other columns’ settings and the filter controls.
Use filter views for personal analysis of shared data. Filter views let people work with their own filtered view without changing the display for everyone in the same way a regular filter may. If several people are editing, confirm which type is active before adjusting it.
Keep a stable identifier column. An order number or unique ID makes it easier to restore a meaningful row order after sorting. A sort is not reversed just because you remove the filter.
Check the header and range boundaries. Filters work best when the range has one clear header row and no unrelated blank columns or rows inside the table. If the filter includes extra cells, recreating it over just the data table may produce easier-to-understand controls.
Use undo cautiously in a shared file. Ctrl+Z on Windows or Command+Z on Mac can undo a recent change, but it may undo more than the filter adjustment if you have made other edits. For a filter reset, it is usually safer to inspect the current criteria and set them deliberately.
Tell collaborators when a shared display changes. A regular filter can affect what other editors see. If you are only investigating records, prefer a filter view when available or let collaborators know before changing the shared filter.

Troubleshooting

“Remove filter” is missing or unavailable. First click a cell inside the filtered table and reopen Data. If the menu offers Create a filter instead, there may be no regular filter active in that range. Check for an open filter view at the top of the sheet, or select the range that actually contains the funnel icons. You may also lack edit permission; ask the owner for access if you cannot change the view.

Rows remain hidden after removing the filter. Look at the row numbers: if they jump, some rows may be manually hidden or grouped. Select the row numbers around the gap, right-click, and choose the option to show hidden rows if it appears. Also check Data > Group rows controls for collapsed groups. If row numbers are consecutive but records are missing, verify that you are looking at the correct tab and range.

Some records return, but not all. One or more column criteria may still be active, or a search term may still be in a filter menu. Reopen each column’s funnel menu, clear its search box, and select all values. Check conditions as well as value selections; a condition on one column can continue excluding rows even when every value appears selected in another.

The filter appears to come back. You may have closed a filter view without deleting its saved criteria, or another collaborator may have re-applied a shared filter. Check the name in the filter-view bar and confirm whether the sheet is in a view or the normal grid. Exiting a view is not the same as deleting the saved view. If someone else is editing, coordinate before changing a shared filter.

The rows are visible but in an unexpected order. That is usually a sort, not a remaining filter. Use the relevant column’s sort controls or select the table and sort by a column that records the intended order. Before sorting, make sure the full table is selected so values in different columns stay together on their correct rows.

The instructions do not match the screen. Google may adjust labels and layouts. Look for the funnel icon on a column header, the filter-view bar at the top, and the Data menu’s filter commands. In the Sheets mobile app, menus and filter controls can be arranged differently, so use a desktop browser if you cannot find the corresponding command.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does clearing a filter delete rows?
No. It changes which rows are displayed. The filtered-out records remain in the sheet unless someone separately deletes their rows or cell contents.

Can I clear one column’s filter without removing the whole filter?
Yes. Open that column’s funnel menu, clear its search term, select all values, and confirm. If a condition is active, remove that condition as well. Other columns’ criteria can remain in effect.

What is the difference between removing a filter and clearing its criteria?
Removing a filter turns off the filter controls for the range. Clearing criteria leaves the controls available but stops that column from excluding rows. Use the first option for a full reset and the second when you want to preserve the filter setup.

Will other people see me clear a filter?
It depends on whether you are changing a regular filter or working in a filter view. A regular filter can affect the shared sheet’s display for collaborators. A filter view is separate from the normal view, so it is often the better choice for individual analysis.

Does removing a filter undo sorting?
No. Filtering and sorting are separate actions. Removing the filter reveals rows but does not restore their former order. Sort by a stable ID or sequence column if you need to put them back into a known order.

How do I restore a filter after removing it?
Select the table, including its header row, then choose Data > Create a filter. Google Sheets adds filter controls to the selected range. Confirm that the correct range is selected before creating the filter so unrelated cells are not included.

Try it: the Date Difference Calculator: days, months, years and weekdays between two dates, with the DATEDIF formulas.

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Sources: Function behaviour and menu paths: Microsoft Support documentation for Excel. Method & sources

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