How to Remove a Filter in Google Sheets

To remove a standard filter in Google Sheets, open the sheet in a web browser, select the tab where the filter is active, and choose Data > Remove filter. This turns off the filter for that sheet tab and shows the rows again; it does not delete your data. If you are looking at a filter view instead, close the view rather than removing the sheet’s standard filter.

Removing a filter is useful when you want to see every row, restore the normal sheet view, or replace an old filter with a new one. Before changing a shared sheet, check whether other collaborators rely on its current filter. The steps below cover both standard filters and filter views so you can choose the right action.

What You’ll Need

A Google account with access to the spreadsheet.
Permission to edit the sheet if you need to remove its standard filter. Viewers may be able to inspect data but cannot change the filter settings.
A web browser with the spreadsheet open. These instructions use the Google Sheets browser interface.

Step-by-Step

Open the spreadsheet and choose the correct tab. Go to Google Sheets and open the file. If the workbook has several tabs at the bottom, click the tab containing the filtered data. A standard filter applies to a range on one tab, so removing it from one tab does not automatically remove filters from other tabs.

Look at the column headings and rows before making a change. A funnel icon in a heading, or rows that appear to be missing, can indicate that a filter is active. The hidden rows are usually still in the sheet; the filter is only controlling which rows are displayed.
Check whether you are in a standard filter or a filter view. A standard filter usually shows filter controls in the header row and may affect the view for other people using the sheet. A filter view has its own visible view controls at the top of the grid, often including a dark bar with the view name and a close button. Filter views let people work with separate filtered views of shared data.

If the filter-view bar is present, do not use the standard-filter removal steps yet. Go to Step 5. If there is no filter-view bar and the sheet’s headers have filter controls, continue with the standard filter steps.
Open the Data menu. In the menu bar at the top of Google Sheets, click Data. Make sure you are in the sheet tab where the filter appears. The menu contains the command for removing a standard filter when one is active.

If you do not see the menu bar, make sure the spreadsheet is open in the full Sheets editor rather than a preview or read-only file preview. The precise controls can differ in the Sheets mobile app, so use a desktop browser for these instructions.
Choose Data > Remove filter. Click Remove filter in the Data menu. The filter controls disappear from the filtered range, and rows that were hidden by the filter become visible again. The data itself stays in place, including values in rows that had been hidden.

If the command is unavailable or missing, the current tab may not have a standard filter active. You may be inside a filter view instead, or you may lack permission to edit the sheet. See Troubleshooting for ways to check both possibilities.
Close a filter view if that is what you are using. When the filter-view bar is open, click its Close button, usually shown as an X at the right end of the bar. This exits the view and returns you to the regular sheet display. Closing a view is different from deleting the saved filter view: the saved view can remain available to reopen later.

If your goal is to delete a saved filter view permanently, open that view and use its view controls to find the delete option. Check that you have selected the correct named view before deleting it. Deleting a saved view does not delete the rows or cells it filtered.
Confirm that the sheet shows the data you expect. Look through the row numbers and the relevant columns. If all rows should be visible, check that the previously hidden entries have returned. If some rows remain hidden, another condition, a different filter, manually hidden rows, or a separate filter view may still be affecting what you see.

When the sheet looks right, you can continue working or save any other edits. Google Sheets saves changes automatically, but on a shared file it is still sensible to confirm that the filter change appears in the expected tab.

Common Mistakes

Clearing a condition instead of removing the filter. A filter’s column menu may let you change which values are selected. Selecting all values can make every row in that column appear while leaving the filter controls active. That is useful if you plan to keep filtering later, but it is not the same as removing the filter. To remove a standard filter completely, use Data > Remove filter.

Closing the spreadsheet tab instead of the filter view. Closing the browser tab does not remove or close a saved filter view in the spreadsheet. When a filter view is open, use its own Close control to return to the regular sheet. If you only exit the view, it remains available unless you specifically delete it.

Assuming filtered rows were deleted. A filter hides rows from the current display; it does not erase them. Avoid copying only the visible rows or deleting data just because some entries are not shown. Remove or adjust the filter first, then confirm which rows are present.

Changing a shared standard filter without warning. Standard filters can change what collaborators see in the same sheet. If others depend on the current filtered display, coordinate before removing it. A filter view is often better for personal sorting and filtering because it can let users work with separate views.

Working on the wrong tab or range. A spreadsheet can contain several tabs with similar headings. Removing a filter from one tab does not necessarily affect another. Check the tab name and visible header row before using the menu command.

Tips

If you only need to reveal all values temporarily, consider changing the filter selections rather than removing the filter. That keeps the filter controls available and can make it quicker to apply another condition. Use Data > Remove filter when you want to turn off the standard filter itself.

Before removing a filter from a long list, note any conditions you may want to reuse, such as a particular status or date range. Removing the filter does not generally remove your cell data, but you may need to recreate the criteria afterward. For an important shared sheet, a quick note to collaborators can prevent confusion when their visible rows change.

Remember that each sheet tab can have its own filtering setup. If one tab still looks incomplete after you remove a filter elsewhere, click that tab and inspect its own header controls. Also check whether rows were hidden manually: removing a filter will not necessarily unhide rows that someone hid separately.

Filter views are useful when people need different ways to inspect the same data. You can close a view to leave it without removing the standard filter from the sheet. If you want to tidy up old saved views, review their names and delete only the ones that are no longer needed.

These instructions are for Google Sheets in a browser. Excel for Windows has its own filter controls, commonly accessed from Data > Filter, so do not assume that its menu names or behavior match Google Sheets exactly.

Troubleshooting

Data > Remove filter is missing or disabled. First check whether a filter-view bar is open. If so, close the view with its X control; you may simply be in a filter view rather than using the standard filter. If there is no filter view, inspect the column headings for filter controls and confirm that you have opened the correct tab. If you only have viewing access, ask the file owner or an editor to remove the standard filter.

Some rows are still missing afterward. Check each column for an active condition and make sure you removed the filter from the correct tab. If the rows remain absent, look at the row numbers: a jump in numbering can indicate hidden rows. Those rows may have been hidden manually, grouped, or hidden by another feature rather than by the filter. An editor can select the surrounding row numbers, right-click, and choose the option to unhide rows when appropriate.

The filter seems to return when you reopen the file. Verify whether you are reopening a saved filter view. Close the view and return to the regular sheet, or delete the saved view if you no longer want it. If the standard filter itself reappears, another editor may have re-created it, or you may be looking at a different tab or copy of the spreadsheet.

Other collaborators still see filtered data. Find out whether they are using a filter view of their own. Closing your view does not close someone else’s separate view. If the sheet has a standard filter and you have removed it, refresh the page or ask collaborators to confirm the tab they are viewing. In a shared document, changes may take a moment to appear.

You cannot edit or change the filter. Check whether the file is shared with you as a viewer or commenter, or whether the sheet or range is protected. Ask the owner for edit access or for an editor to make the change. Do not make a separate copy unless that is acceptable for your work, because edits to a copy will not update the original shared file.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does removing a filter delete rows?
No. Removing a standard filter removes its display controls and reveals rows hidden by its criteria. It does not delete the underlying data. A row that was separately hidden may still need to be unhidden.

How do I remove a filter from only one column?
Open the filter menu in that column and adjust or clear its criteria, rather than choosing Data > Remove filter. This keeps the overall standard filter active, so you can continue filtering other columns.

Can I remove a filter without affecting other people?
A standard filter can affect the shared sheet’s display, so coordinate before removing it. If you are using a filter view, close your own view; that exits your view without removing the shared data or necessarily changing another person’s view.

What is the difference between closing and deleting a filter view?
Closing a filter view exits it and returns you to the regular sheet. Deleting a saved filter view removes that named view from the available views. Neither action deletes the rows or cell contents.

Can I undo removing a filter?
You can usually create a new filter again from the Data menu, but the exact prior filter conditions may not be restored automatically. If you need those conditions, note them before removing the filter. Undo may not reliably restore a particular filter setup.

Why can I see filter icons but not remove the filter?
You may be in a filter view, on a protected sheet, or using an account without edit permission. Close the filter view first; if the standard-filter command is still unavailable, ask the owner to check your access and the sheet’s protections.

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

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