How to compare two columns and highlight the unmatched data in Excel?
As below screenshot shown, for comparing two columns of adjacent cells and highlighting the unmatched data, you can try the methods in the article.
Compare two columns and highlight the unmatched data with VBA code
Compare two columns and highlight the unmatched data with Kutools for Excel
Compare two columns and highlight the unmatched data with VBA code
As the above screenshot, you are comparing the data in Column A and Column B. Please run the following VBA code to highlight the unmatched data.
1. Press Alt + F11 keys simultaneously to open the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window.
2. In the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window, click Insert > Module. Then copy and paste the following code into the Code window.
VBA code: Compare two columns and highlight the unmatched data
Sub Dyeware()
Dim xRg1 As Range
Dim xRg2 As Range
Dim xTxt As String
Dim xCell1 As Range
Dim xCell2 As Range
Dim I As Long
Dim J As Integer
Dim xLen As Integer
Dim xDiffs As Boolean
On Error Resume Next
If ActiveWindow.RangeSelection.Count > 1 Then
xTxt = ActiveWindow.RangeSelection.AddressLocal
Else
xTxt = ActiveSheet.UsedRange.AddressLocal
End If
lOne:
Set xRg1 = Application.InputBox("Range A:", "Kutools for Excel", xTxt, , , , , 8)
If xRg1 Is Nothing Then Exit Sub
If xRg1.Columns.Count > 1 Or xRg1.Areas.Count > 1 Then
MsgBox " Multiple ranges or columns have been selected ", vbInformation, "Kutools for Excel"
GoTo lOne
End If
lTwo:
Set xRg2 = Application.InputBox("Range B:", "Kutools for Excel", "", , , , , 8)
If xRg2 Is Nothing Then Exit Sub
If xRg2.Columns.Count > 1 Or xRg2.Areas.Count > 1 Then
MsgBox "Multiple ranges or columns have been selected", vbInformation, "Kutools for Excel"
GoTo lTwo
End If
If xRg1.CountLarge <> xRg2.CountLarge Then
MsgBox "Two ranges must have the same numbers of cells ", vbInformation, "Kutools for Excel"
GoTo lTwo
End If
xDiffs = (MsgBox("Click Yes to highlight matched data, click No to highlight unmatched data ", vbYesNo + vbQuestion, "Kutools for Excel") = vbNo)
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
xRg2.Interior.ColorIndex = xlNo
xRg1.Interior.ColorIndex = xlNo
For I = 1 To xRg1.Count
Set xCell1 = xRg1.Cells(I)
Set xCell2 = xRg2.Cells(I)
If xCell1.Value = xCell2.Value Then
If Not xDiffs Then
xCell1.Interior.Color = vbRed
xCell2.Interior.Color = vbRed
End If
Else
If xDiffs Then
xCell1.Interior.Color = vbRed
xCell2.Interior.Color = vbRed
End If
End If
Next
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub3. Press the F5 key to run the code. In the popping up Kutools for Excel dialog box, select the first column you need to compare, then click the OK button. See screenshot.
4. Then select the second compared column in the next popping up Kutools for Excel dialog box.
5. In the dialog box as below screenshot shown, for highlighting the unmatched data, please click the No button.
Then all unmatched data between two columns are highlighted immediately. See screenshot:
Compare two columns and highlight the unmatched data with Kutools for Excel
If you just want to find out and highlight if the cell values in a column exist in another column or not, for example as below screenshot shown, number 2 in column A does not exist in column B. you can try the Compare Ranges utility of Kutools for Excel.
1. Click Kutools > Insert > Select Same & Different Cells. See screenshot:
2. In the Select Same & Different Cells dialog box, you need to configure as follows:
3. Then a dialog box pops up to tell you how many cells which only in column A but not in column B, click the OK button, and all matched cells are selected in column A.
If you want to have a free trial (30-day) of this utility, please click to download it, and then go to apply the operation according above steps.
Related articles:
- How to compare two strings for similarity or highlight differences in Excel?
- How to exactly compare two strings (case sensitive) in Excel?
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