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kgirl's avatar
kgirl
Copper Contributor
Jun 07, 2025

Filter (autofilter) will not be inserted in Excel 16.97.2 for Mac

Hi all,

I'm not able to apply filter in my spreadsheet. 

I have tried both marking a cell and marking a whole row. 

Then Data and Filter.

I get the the message: Warning. This cannot be used in the marked area. Mark one cell and try again. 

But I am already in one cell. 

Please assist me in how to solve this.

Thanks!

Excel on Mac

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  • NikolinoDE's avatar
    NikolinoDE
    Gold Contributor
    Jun 11, 2025

    Most Common Fixes That Work

     1. Fix the data structure (most common cause):

    • Ensure no merged cells
    • Headers in the first row
    • No completely blank rows/columns
    • No protected sheet or locked cells

    2. Use "Insert > Table" instead of "Data > Filter" — this usually forces Excel to recognize the data properly.

    3. Copy your data into a new workbook — this avoids possible file corruption.

    4. Update Excel:

    • Excel 16.97.2 is not the latest version — bugs like this have been patched in newer versions.
    • Go to Help > Check for Updates, and install the latest Excel updates for Mac.

     

    If the issue is due to a specific bug in Excel 16.97.2, and not your data, you may need to update Excel to fix it. Microsoft has addressed various AutoFilter issues in Mac updates.

     

    My answers are voluntary and without guarantee!

     

    Hope this will help you.

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