UNIQUE Function in Excel

Intermediate

Returns a list of unique values in a list or range.

Syntax

=UNIQUE(array, [by_col], [exactly_once])

Example

Use Case

Extract a list of unique customers from a sales log.

Common Errors to Avoid

  • Only available in Microsoft 365 and Excel 2021+
  • Returns #SPILL! error if output range is not empty
  • Case-insensitive comparison may merge similar values

Pro Tips

Use exactly_once=TRUE to find values that appear only once (no duplicates). Combine with SORT for alphabetized unique list. Ensure sufficient empty cells below/right for spill range.

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UNIQUE Function in Excel | Excel AI Tools