Remove duplicates in excel vba

RemoveDuplicates in VBA Excel

Duplicate values are often not required in Excel, especially when you want to have unique values count. It is because we usually have a different set of data to work with, and we see a bunch of duplicate values in it.

We hope you are familiar with removing duplicates in excelTo remove duplicates from the excel column, the user can adopt any of the three well-known methods: Using data tools group, Using the advanced filter in excel, Conditional formatting in excel.read more worksheets. If not, there is nothing to worry about. We will show you a simple example for you. In VBA, too, we can perform the remove duplicates method.

So, It has removed all the duplicate values of the “Region” heading. Similarly, we can do this task with the help of the VBA codeVBA code refers to a set of instructions written by the user in the Visual Basic Applications programming language on a Visual Basic Editor (VBE) to perform a specific task.read more.

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How to Remove Duplicate Values in VBA Coding?

To remove duplicate values, first, we need to mention the range we are referring to. Then we can access the “Remove Duplicates” method. So syntax will be as follows.

[Column]: Which selection column do we need to remove duplicates? We need to mention the column number of the selected range.

[Header]: The range you have selected has either headers or not. So, we have three options to work with here.

• xlYes: If the data has headers, then you can select this.
• xlNo: If the data doesn’t have headers, you can select this.
• xlGuess: This option will allow Excel to guess the data headers.

So, using these parameters, we can remove duplicates with just a click of a button without breaking our sweat.

In the below section, we will show examples to VBAHere’s a list of the top examples of VBA Macro code in Excel: Print All Sheet Names, Insert Different Color Index in VBA, Insert Worksheets as Much as You want, Insert Blank Row After Every Other Row
Highlight Spelling Mistakes.read more removing duplicates. Follow the steps carefully to write the code on your own.

Examples of Remove Duplicate Values in VBA Coding

Below are the examples of RemoveDuplicate in Values VBA.

VBA Remove duplicates – Example #1

Consider the below data for this example as well.

We need to remove “Region” column duplicates from the above data, so follow the steps below to write the code.

Step 1: Start the sub procedure by giving a Macro code name.

Step 2: Mention the range of data by using the VBA Range object.

Code:

Sub Remove_Duplicates_Example1()

  Range ("A1:C9").

End Sub

Step 3: After mentioning the range access VBA “RemoveDuplicates” method.

Code:

Sub Remove_Duplicates_Example1()

  Range("A1:C9").RemoveDuplicates

End Sub

Step 4: First argument in which column we need to remove the duplicate values. In this example, we need to remove the duplicates from the first column.

Code:

Sub Remove_Duplicates_Example1()

  Range("A1:C9").RemoveDuplicates Columns:=1,

End Sub

Step 5: Next thing is whether the data has headers or not. In this case, we have headers, so select “xlYes.”

Code:

Sub Remove_Duplicates_Example1()

  Range("A1:C9").RemoveDuplicates Columns:=1, Header:=xlYes

End Sub

Run this code. It will remove duplicates from the selected region.

It is a straightforward way of referring to the range of cells. However, if you wish to select the range on your own and remove duplicates, then we need to use the variable to work with. In the below example, we will show you how to use variables in VBA.

VBA Remove duplicates – Example #2

In the above example, we have specifically supplied the range of cells. Now, we will see how to work with selecting our cells.

For example, we have a few data sets, as shown in the image below.

We cannot explicitly specify the range of cells so we will assign the selection as the range.

Step 1: Declare the variable as Range.

Code:

Sub Remove_Duplicates_Example2()

  Dim Rng As Range

End Sub

Step 2: Range is an object. We will set the range as our selection.

Code:

Sub Remove_Duplicates_Example2()

  Dim Rng As Range
  
  Set Rng = Selection

End Sub

Step 3: Instead of a range of cells, we can use the variable “rng.”

Code:

Sub Remove_Duplicates_Example2()

  Dim Rng As Range

  Set Rng = Selection

  Rng.RemoveDuplicates Columns:=1, Header:=xlYes

End Sub

Before running the code, we must select the range of cells first. Then, we can remove duplicates from the selected range of cells.

VBA Remove Duplicates from Multiple Columns – Example #3

We can also use VBA to remove duplicate values from excel columnsTo remove duplicates from the excel column, the user can adopt any of the three well-known methods: Using data tools group, Using the advanced filter in excel, Conditional formatting in excel.read more. Finally, we need to use an array to remove multiple columns and mention the column numbers.

For example, look at the example data image.

We have duplicate values in the first column and fourth column. So, we will remove these columns. Use the below code to VBA to remove duplicates.

Code:

Sub Remove_Duplicates_Example3()

  Dim Rng As Range
  Set Rng = Range("A1:D9")

  Rng.RemoveDuplicates Columns:=Array(1, 4), Header:=xlYes

End Sub

You can download this VBA Remove Duplicates Excel here. VBA Remove Duplicates Excel Template

Recommended Articles

This article has been a guide to VBA Remove Duplicates. Here, we learn how to remove duplicate values in Excel VBA, examples and download an Excel template. Below are some useful Excel articles related to VBA: –

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• VBA Pivot TablePivot Tables are at the heart of summarizing a large amount of data.  We can also use VBA coding to automate the process of creating a pivot table.read more
• Find Duplicates in ExcelIn MS Excel, the duplicate values can be found and removed from a data set. Depending on your data and requirement, the most commonly used methods are the conditional formatting feature or the COUNTIF formula to find and highlight the duplicates for a specific number of occurrences. The columns of the data set can be then filtered to view the duplicate values.
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• Highlight Duplicates in ExcelHighlight Cells Rule, which is available under Conditional Formatting under the Home menu tab, can be used to highlight duplicate values in the selected dataset, whether it is a column or row of a table.read more

VBA Remove Duplicates

Excel has a feature which is used for removing the duplicate values from the selected cells, rows or table. What if this process we automate in VBA? Yes, the process of removing the duplicate can be automated in VBA in a form of Macro. In the process of removing the duplicate, once it is completed the unique values remain in the list or table. This can be in with the help of Remove Duplicates function in VBA.

How to Use Excel VBA Remove Duplicates?

We will learn how to use a VBA Remove Duplicates with few examples in excel.

You can download this VBA Remove Duplicates Excel Template here – VBA Remove Duplicates Excel Template

Example #1 – VBA Remove Duplicates

We have a list of numbers starting from 1 to 5 till row 20 in column A only. As we can see in the below screenshot, all the numbers are getting repeated multiple times.

Now our job is to remove the duplicate from the list by VBA. For this go to the VBA window by pressing the F11 key.

In this example, we will see, basic use of how VBA Remove Duplicates can work for numbers. For this, we need a Module.

Step 1: Open a new Module from the Insert menu which is in the Insert menu tab.

Step 2: Once it is open write the subcategory of VBA Remove Duplicate as shown below.

Code:

Sub VBARemoveDuplicate1()

End Sub

Step 3: In the process of removing the duplicate, first we need to select the data. For this, in VBA we will Selection function till it goes down to select complete data list as shown below.

Code:

Sub VBARemoveDuplicate1()

Selection.End(xlDown).Select

End Sub

Step 4: Now we will select the Range of selected cells or columns A. It will go down till we have the data in a particular column. Not only till row 20.

Code:

Sub VBARemoveDuplicate1()

Selection.End(xlDown).Select
Range(Selection, Selection.End(xlUp)).Select

End Sub

Step 5: Now select the range of the cells in a currently opened sheet as shown below. This will activate the complete column. We have selected column A till the end.

Code:

Sub VBARemoveDuplicate1()

Selection.End(xlDown).Select
Range(Selection, Selection.End(xlUp)).Select
ActiveSheet.Range("A:A").

End Sub

Step 6: Now use RemoveDuplicate function here. This will activate the command to remove the duplicate values from the sequence of the columns 1. If there are more columns then the number will be added and separated by commas in the brackets as (1, 2, 3,…).

Code:

Sub VBARemoveDuplicate1()

Selection.End(xlDown).Select
Range(Selection, Selection.End(xlUp)).Select
ActiveSheet.Range("A:A").RemoveDuplicates Columns:=1,

End Sub

Step 7: Now we will use the Header command which will move the cursor to the topmost cell of the sheet, which is mostly in the header of any table.

Code:

Sub VBARemoveDuplicate1()

Selection.End(xlDown).Select
Range(Selection, Selection.End(xlUp)).Select
ActiveSheet.Range("A:A").RemoveDuplicates Columns:=1, Header:=xlYes

End Sub

Step 8: Now compile the code steps by pressing the F8 Key. Once done then click on the Play button to run to code as shown below.

As we can see, the duplicate number is deleted from column A and the only a unique count is left.

Example #2 – VBA Remove Duplicates

In this example, we will see how to remove duplicate values from more than one column. For this, we will consider the same duplicate list used in example-1. But in a new way, we have added 2 more columns of the same values as shown below.

This is another method with a little different type of code structure.

Step 1: Open a new module in VBA and write the subcategory in the VBA Remove Duplicate. If possible then give it a sequence number so that it will be better to choose the right code to run.

Code:

Sub VBARemoveDuplicate2()

End Sub

Step 2: First, select the complete sheet in VBA as shown below.

Code:

Sub VBARemoveDuplicate2()

Cells.Select

End Sub

Step 3: Now select the currently opened sheet with ActiveSheet command and select columns A to C as shown below.

Code:

Sub VBARemoveDuplicate2()

Cells.Select
ActiveSheet.Range("A:C").

End Sub

Step 4: Now select the RemoveDuplicates command and after that select Column array from 1 to 3 as shown below.

Code:

Sub VBARemoveDuplicate2()

    Cells.Select
    ActiveSheet.Range("A:C").RemoveDuplicates Columns:=Array(1, 2, 3),

End Sub

Step 5: At last use, the Header command to be included in the process of removing duplicates as xlYes as shown below.

Code:

Sub VBARemoveDuplicate2()

    Cells.Select
    ActiveSheet.Range("A:C").RemoveDuplicates Columns:=Array(1, 2, 3), Header:=xlYes

End Sub

Step 6: Now compile the complete code and run. As we can see below, the complete sheet is selected but the duplicate values are removed from columns A, B, and C, keeping only unique count.

Example #3 – VBA Remove Duplicates

This is another method of removing duplicate which is the simplest way to remove duplicate in VBA. For this, we will use the data which we saw in example-1 and also shown below.

Step 1: Now to go VBA and write subcategory again of VBA Remove Duplicates. We have given the sequence to each code we showed to have a proper track.

Code:

Sub VBARemoveDuplicate3()

End Sub

Step 2: This is quite a similar pattern which we have seen in example-2 but a shortcut way to write a code for removing duplicate. For this first directly start selecting the range of column as shown below. We have kept the limit till 100^th cell of column A starting from 1 followed by a dot(.)

Code:

Sub VBARemoveDuplicate3()

Range("A1:A100").

End Sub

Step 3: Now select the RemoveDuplicates command as shown below.

Code:

Sub VBARemoveDuplicate3()

Range("A1:A100").RemoveDuplicates

End Sub

Step 4: Now select the columns A as with command Columns with the sequence of 1. And after that include the Header of selected columns as well as shown below.

Code:

Sub VBARemoveDuplicate3()

Range("A1:A100").RemoveDuplicates Columns:=1, Header:=xlYes

End Sub

Step 5: Now compile it by pressing F8 key and run. We will see our code has removed the duplicate numbers from columns A and only unique values are pertained.

Pros of VBA Remove Duplicates

• It is useful in quickly removing the duplicates in any range of cells.
• It is easy to implement.
• When working on huge data set, where removing the duplicate becomes difficult manually and it hangs the files and VBA Remove Duplicates works in a second to give us the unique values.

Cons of VBA Remove Duplicates

• It is not beneficial to use VBA Remove Duplicates for very small data, as it could be easily done by Remove Duplicate function available in the Data menu bar.

Things to Remember

• Range can be selected in two ways. Once it is selected the limit of cells as shown in example-1 and other is selecting the complete column till the end as shown in example-1.
• Make sure the file is saved in Macro-Enabled Excel which will allow us to use the written code multiple time without losing it.
• You can keep the value of function Header as Yes, as it will count the header as well while removing the duplicate values. If there is no duplicate value with the name of Headers name, then keeping it as No will harm nothing.

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