How to Filter for Cells that Do Not Contain Text in Google Sheets

To filter for cells that do not contain specific text in Google Sheets, you can use the "Filter" feature along with a custom formula. Here's how to do it:

1. Select the range of cells that you want to filter. If you want to filter an entire column, click on the column letter at the top.
2. Click on "Data" in the menu bar.
3. Click on "Create a filter." This will add filter icons to the header row of your selected range.
4. Click on the filter icon in the header of the column you want to filter.
5. Click on "Filter by condition."
6. In the dropdown menu, select "Custom formula is."
7. Enter the custom formula that filters for cells that do not contain specific text. Use the SEARCH function in combination with ISERROR and IF functions, and replace "TEXT" with the text you want to exclude:

=IF(ISERROR(SEARCH("TEXT", A:A)), TRUE, FALSE)

Replace "A:A" with the column you want to filter, and "TEXT" with the text you want to exclude.

8. Click on "OK." Google Sheets will now filter the column to show only the cells that do not contain the specified text.

Example

Let's say you want to filter column A for cells that do not contain the text "apple":

1. Click on column A to select the entire column.
2. Click on "Data" in the menu bar.
3. Click on "Create a filter." This will add filter icons to the header row of column A.
4. Click on the filter icon in the header of column A.
5. Click on "Filter by condition."
6. In the dropdown menu, select "Custom formula is."
7. Enter the custom formula:

=IF(ISERROR(SEARCH("apple", A:A)), TRUE, FALSE)

8. Click on "OK." Google Sheets will now filter column A to show only the cells that do not contain the text "apple."