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How to change color if two cells are not equal in Excel?

Author Sun Last modified

When working with two lists in Excel, you might need to highlight discrepancies by changing the color of cells where adjacent values are not equal. This can help quickly identify mismatches and inconsistencies in your data. In this guide, we will explore two effective methods for achieving this. Whether you're looking for a manual method or a quicker, automated solution, we've got you covered.

A screenshot showing highlighted cells where adjacent values are not equal in Excel

Highlight cells that are not equal using Conditional Formatting

1. Select the two lists you want to compare for equality, and click "Home" > "Conditional Formatting" > "New Rule".

2. In the "New Formatting Rule" dialog, choose "Use a formula to determine which cells to format", and type the following formula into the "Format values where this formula true". Then click "Format" to open "Format Cells" dialog, and select one color under "Fill" tab.

=$A1<>$B1
A screenshot of the New Formatting Rule dialog box in Excel for conditional formatting

3. Click "OK" > "OK". Then the cells will be colored if the two cells are not equal to each other.
A screenshot of the results of cells highlighted where values differ

Easily color cells if not equal with Kutools for Excel

If you want to quickly identify and highlight cells where two adjacent cells are not equal, "the Select Same & Different Cells" utility of "Kutools for Excel" offers a more streamlined solution compared to Conditional Formatting. Unlike Conditional Formatting, which requires complex rule setup and may be time-consuming, Kutools simplifies the process with just a few clicks.

Kutools for Excel offers over 300 advanced features to streamline complex tasks, boosting creativity and efficiency. Itegarate with AI capabilities, Kutools automates tasks with precision, making data management effortless. Detailed information of Kutools for Excel...         Free trial...

After installing Kutools for Excel, click "Kutools" > "Select" > "Select Same & Different Cells". Then configure the dialog box as follows.

  1. In the "Find Values" in box, select the column that you want to compare.
  2. In the "According to" box, choose the column to compare it against.
  3. In the "Base on" section, select the "Each row" option.
  4. In the "Find" section, choose the "Different Values" option.
  5. Check the "Fill backcolor" option, choose a fill color, and click "OK".
Result

The cells in the first selected column that do not match the corresponding cells in the specified column will be highlighted with the fill color you selected.

A screenshot of the results after using Kutools to highlight cells where values differ

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Demo: Easily color cells if not equal with Kutools for Excel

 
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