The filter shortcut in Excel is Ctrl + Shift + L. Click any cell inside your data and press it: filter arrows appear on every heading. Press it again to remove the filters and show all rows.
Two more keys make filtering fast without the mouse: Alt + Down opens the filter list of the selected heading, and pressing Alt, then A, then C clears every filter but keeps the arrows. All of these work in current and older versions of Excel on Windows.
Quick facts
Turn filters on or off
Ctrl + Shift + LOpen a heading's list
Alt + DownClear all filters
Alt, then A, then CReapply after editing
Ctrl + Alt + LExcel for Mac
Command + Shift + FNeeds
A heading row at the top of the data
Every filter shortcut in Excel, in one table
| Action | Keys |
|---|---|
| Add or remove filter arrows | Ctrl + Shift + L |
| Same, through the ribbon | Alt, then A, then T |
| Open the filter list for the selected heading | Alt + Down |
| Move inside the list and tick items | Up and Down, then Space |
| Apply the choices | Enter |
| Clear every filter, keep arrows | Alt, then A, then C |
| Reapply the filter after changing data | Ctrl + Alt + L |
How to apply filter in Excel with the shortcut
- Make sure the first row of your data has headings such as Name, City, Amount.
- Click any one cell inside the data.
- Press Ctrl + Shift + L. A small arrow appears in each heading.
- Move to a heading, for example City, and press Alt + Down.
- In the list, untick Select All with Space, move to the city you want and press Space again.
- Press Enter. Only matching rows remain; row numbers turn blue to show a filter is on.
Excel guesses the data range from the cell you clicked. If blank rows split your data, select the whole range first, then press the shortcut.
Shortcut to remove filter in Excel
There are two kinds of removing. To show all rows again but keep the arrows for later, press Alt, then A, then C (Clear). To take the filter arrows off completely, press Ctrl + Shift + L again. Both are safe: filtering only hides rows, it never deletes data.
Filter shortcut key in Excel tables
If you turn your data into a table with Ctrl + T, Excel adds filter arrows automatically. Ctrl + Shift + L still turns them on and off. Tables also keep the filter when you add new rows at the bottom, which helps with sales registers and attendance sheets that grow every day.
For sorting the same data, see the Excel sort shortcut. To delete or hide rows after filtering, the delete row and hide guides explain what happens to hidden rows.
When the filter shortcut does not work
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Nothing happens | Click inside the data first; an empty cell far away gives Excel nothing to filter |
| Arrows appear on the wrong row | Select the heading row and data, then press the shortcut |
| Filter greyed out | The sheet is protected or several sheets are grouped; unprotect or ungroup |
| New rows not filtered | Press Ctrl + Alt + L to reapply |
| Ctrl + Shift + L changes keyboard language | Windows language switching uses Ctrl + Shift; change it in language settings |
Excel filter shortcut on Mac
Excel for Mac uses Command + Shift + F to turn filters on and off. Option + Down opens a heading's filter list. The rest of the Excel shortcuts on Mac follow the same pattern, with Command in place of Ctrl in most cases. See the Excel shortcut keys hub for the full list.
Frequently asked questions
What is the shortcut key for filter in Excel?
What is the shortcut to remove filter in Excel?
Press Ctrl + Shift + L again to remove the arrows, or Alt, A, C to clear the filters and keep the arrows.
How do I open a filter dropdown with the keyboard?
Select the heading cell and press Alt + Down.
Does filtering delete rows?
No. It only hides rows that do not match. Clearing the filter shows them again.
What is the Excel filter shortcut on Mac?
Why is my filter not including new data?
Press Ctrl + Alt + L to reapply it, or turn the data into a table with Ctrl + T.