Select Row Differences in Excel
The Select Row Differences shortcut allows you to quickly highlight cells that are different across selected rows. It is extremely useful for data comparison, auditing, and error checking.
Keyboard Shortcut
| Windows | Mac |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + \ | Cmd + \ |
What Does This Shortcut Do?
When you select multiple rows and press this shortcut, Excel selects only the cells that contain different values compared to the active row. Matching values are ignored.
How to Use the Shortcut
- Select two or more rows of data
- Make sure the active cell is in the row you want to compare against
- Press Ctrl + \ (Windows) or Cmd + \ (Mac)
- Excel highlights only the differing cells
When This Shortcut Is Useful
- Comparing reports row by row
- Finding data entry errors
- Auditing imported or copied data
- Validating changes between records
Tips & Best Practices
- Works best when rows are aligned correctly
- Blank cells are treated as differences
- Can be combined with formatting to highlight changes
FAQ
- Q: Does this compare against the first selected row?
- Excel compares values against the active row.
- Q: Will formulas be compared by value or formula?
- Excel compares the displayed values, not the formulas.
- Q: Can I use this on non-adjacent rows?
- No, the rows must be part of the same selection.