How to see if two cells match in Microsoft Excel

Seeing if two cells match in Microsoft Excel refers to a common task i.e. comparing the values or content of two cells to determine if they are identical or not. This comparison can be made for various data types such as text, numbers, dates, and more. It can be used to identify duplicate values, match data from different sources, or validate data entered into a spreadsheet.

In this tutorial, we will learn how to see if two cells match in Microsoft Excel. In Microsoft Excel seeing if two cells match is a very common task. Cells can be compared using various methods. Some of the methods include using an Equals sign ( = ) to match two cells and the Exact function. The Exact function is a built-in function in Excel used to match cell values.

We possess a dataset consisting of 5  pairs of values, of which the second, third, and fourth rows contain distinct values.

Method 1: Compare the cells using an equals sign

Step 1 – Select a Blank Cell 

• Select a blank targeted cell where you want to see if the cells match.

Step 2 – Place an Equals sign

•  Place an equals sign ( = ) in the blank targeted cell.

Step 3 – Match the Cells by Placing the Equals sign in between

• Enter the address of the first cell to be matched.
• Place an Equals Sign ( = ).
• Enter the address of the second cell to be matched.
• We can also use this logical check inside an IF function to add some meaningful text if a match is found and otherwise as well.

Step 4 – Press the Enter Key

• Press the Enter Key to get a value.
• If the targeted cell returns TRUE, the matched cells have the same values.
• If the targeted cell returns False, the matched cells do not have the same values.

Step 5 – See if the Cells in All the Rows Match

• Use the “Handle Select” and “Drag and Drop” methods to see if the cells in all the rows match.

Method 2: Use the EXACT function to See if two cells Match

Step 1 – Select a Blank Cell 

• Select a blank targeted cell where you want to see if the two cells match.

Step 2 – Place an Equals Sign

•  Place an equals sign ( = ) in the blank targeted cell.

Step 3 – Use the Exact Function

• Use the EXACT function to see if the cell match. The EXACT function takes two arguments, compares them, and returns TRUE if the arguments have the same value or False if arguments do not have the same value. This function is a case-sensitive formula.
• The syntax of the EXACT function is 

                                             EXACT(A2,B2)

• The first argument i.e. A2 is the first cell to be matched.
• The second argument i.e. B2 is the second cell to be matched.

Step 4 – Press the Enter Key 

• Press the Enter Key to see if the cells match.

Step 5 – Apply the EXACT function on All the Rows

• Use the “Handle Select” and “Drag and Drop” methods to apply the EXACT function on all the rows.