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how do i highlight a row with a data set that appears in one column

Landis, Michael 0 Reputation points
2026-04-24T17:40:01.0433333+00:00

Using Excel for Mac Version 16.107 (26030819), I'm looking for several specific values in column K

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For business | MacOS
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  1. Hendrix-C 16,725 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-04-24T18:15:20.9233333+00:00

    Hi @Landis, Michael,

    According to your concern, the common approach to highlight specific values in a column is to use Conditional Formatting with a formula or a specific condition.

    Therefore, for further assistance, please share more details about your request or a screenshot of your data sheet and your expected outcome so I can clearly understand the situation and provide a detailed guidance for your concern.

    Please understand that my initial response may not always resolve the issue immediately. However, with your help and more detailed information, we can work together to find a solution. 

    Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. I look forward to hearing from you. 

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  2. AI answer

    2026-04-24T17:40:15.3266667+00:00

    To highlight entire rows based on whether the value in column K matches specific values, use conditional formatting with a formula.

    Example: highlight the whole row when K contains "A", "B", or "C".

    1. Select all rows and columns that should be highlighted (for example, A2:Z100). Make sure the active cell in the selection is in row 2.
    2. On the Home tab, select Conditional Formatting.
    3. Choose the option to create a rule that uses a formula (for Mac this is the "Use a formula to determine which cells to format" option, as shown in the formula-based conditional formatting article).
    4. In the formula box, enter a formula that tests column K for the desired values, for example: 
         =OR($K2="A",$K2="B",$K2="C")
      Adjust the values ("A","B","C") and the row number (2) to match the first data row.
    5. Choose Format, set the fill color or other formatting to apply to the entire row, and confirm with OK until all dialogs are closed.

    The formula is evaluated for each row in the selected range. When the condition is TRUE for that row’s K cell, the formatting is applied across the whole row.

    If the condition is a single value instead of a list, use a simpler formula such as:

    =$K2="TargetValue"

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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