How to reverse (delete) filtered rows in Excel?

This method will walk you through adding a helper column to reverse filter easily in Excel. Please do as follows:

1. Beside filtered range, type Filtered as helper column header, next type Y into below cells as following screenshot shown:

2. Select the new helper column, and click the Filter button twice on the Data tab.

Note: Clicking the Filter for the first time will disable filter in the filtered range, and clicking the Filter button for the second time will enable filter in the selected helper column.

3. Click the Arrow button in the Filter column, only check the (Blanks) option, and click the OK button.

Now the filter is reversed, and hidden rows are shown immediately.

Note: Deleting the helper column will disable the new filter. But you can hide the helper column with right clicking and selecting Hide from the right-clicking menu.

This method is talking about deleting all filtered out rows to reverse filter in a certain range. Please do as follows:

1. Select all filtered out rows except the heading row in the certain range, and then press the Alt + ; keys simultaneously to select only visible rows.

2. Right click these selected rows header, and select the Delete Row from the right-clicking menu.

3. Now all visible rows (except the heading row) are removed but hidden rows have not come out yet. Click the Data > Filter to disable the filter.

Now all hidden rows are displaying as below screenshot shown:

In the third method, I will introduce Kutools for Excel’s Delete Hidden (Visible) Rows & Columns utility to delete filtered out rows and reverse filter easily.

1. Select the certain range without the heading row, and click the Kutools > Delete > Delete Hidden (Visible) Rows & Columns. See below screenshot:

2. In the opening Delete Hidden (Visible) Rows & Columns dialog box, you need to:

(1) Click the Look in drop down list and select In Selected Range;

(2) In the Delete type section, please check the Rows option;

(3) In the Detailed type section, please check the Visible rows option.

3. Click the Ok button.

Then a dialog box will come out and show you how many rows have been deleted. Just click the OK button to close it.

4. Now all visible rows are removed but hidden rows have not come out yet. Please click the Data > Filter to disable the filter.

Now the original filter is reversed, and all filtered/hidden rows are displaying as below screenshot shown:

Conclusion

The Helper Column method is suitable when you only want to reverse which records are displayed without permanently deleting data. You mark the currently visible records, reapply the filter to the helper column, and filter for blanks to reveal the records that were previously hidden. However, the helper column must remain in place to maintain the reversed filter.

Manual deletion is useful when the goal is to permanently remove the currently visible filtered rows and keep only the records that were previously filtered out. Excel can do this without additional tools, but you need to select the filtered range, use Alt + ; to select only visible cells, delete the selected rows, and finally turn off the filter.

Kutools for Excel's Delete Hidden (Visible) Rows & Columns provides a more direct way to achieve the same deletion-based result. After selecting the filtered range, choose Rows and Visible rows in the dialog to remove all currently displayed records. Turn off the filter afterward, and the previously hidden records become the remaining data.