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How to highlight the closest value in a list to a given number in Excel?

Author Xiaoyang Last modified

Supposing, you have a list of numbers, now, you may want to highlight the closest or several closest values based on a given number as following screenshot shown. Here, this article may help you to solve this task with ease.

highlight the closest value
highlight the closest 3 values

Highlight the closest or closest n values to a given number with Conditional Formatting

arrow blue right bubble Highlight the closest or closest n values to a given number with Conditional Formatting

To highlight the closest value based on the given number, please do as follows:

1. Select the number list that you want to highlight, and then click Home > Conditional Formatting > New Rule, see screenshot:

click Home > Conditional Formatting > New Rule

2. In the New Formatting Rule dialog box, do the following operations:

(1.) Click Use a formula to determine which cells to format under the Select a Rule Type list box;

(2.) In the Format values where this formula is true text box, please enter this formula: =ABS(A2-$D$2)=MIN(ABS($A$2:$A$15-$D$2)) (A2 is the first cell in your data list, D2 is the given number you will compare, A2:A15 is the number list you want to highlight the closest value from.)

specify options in the New Formatting Rule dialog box

3. Then click Format button to go the Format Cells dialog box, under the Fill tab, choose one color you like, see screenshot:

choose one color under the Fill tab

4. And then click OK > OK to close the dialogs, the closest value to the specific number has been highlighted at once, see screenshot:

the closest value to the specific number is highlighted

Tips: If you want to highlight the closest 3 values to the given values, you can apply this formula in the Conditional Formatting, =ISNUMBER(MATCH(ABS($D$2-A2),SMALL(ABS($D$2-$A$2:$A$15),ROW($1:$3)),0)), see screenshot:

set options to highlight the closest 3 values

Note: In the above formula: A2 is the first cell in your data list, D2 is the given number you will compare, A2:A15 is the number list you want to highlight the closest value from, $1:$3 indicates that the closest three values will be highlighted. You can change them to your need.

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