Filter Guard for Excel

Q: How many presets can I save?

There is no hard limit on the number of filter presets. You can save as many named presets as you need per worksheet. Each preset stores the complete filter configuration for that sheet, and all presets are stored in the workbook's custom properties so they persist across sessions.

Save filter presets. Get notified when co-authors change your filters.

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Last updated: February 2026

SheetGuard Filter Guard lets you save named filter presets in Excel and restore them with one click. When a co-author changes your filters in a shared workbook, Filter Guard detects the change and notifies you. It also includes Hidden Row Protection, which detects when paste operations overwrite filtered-out rows. Presets are stored locally in your workbook's custom properties. Filter Guard is a Pro feature with a 14-day free trial.

The Problem

Shared filters wreck your view

In shared Excel workbooks, filters are global. When a co-author changes the filter on a shared sheet, it changes for everyone — immediately and without warning.

You're reviewing Q4 revenue filtered by region, and suddenly the data changes because a colleague applied their own filter. There's no notification, no undo, and no way to save your filter settings for later.

This is one of Excel's most frustrating limitations for teams. Microsoft's "Personal Views" feature was limited to older file formats and has been effectively retired. Sheet Views help but are poorly discoverable and don't work in all scenarios.

The problem compounds when multiple people use the same workbook throughout the day. A finance team might have five analysts filtering a shared budget tracker simultaneously. Each person applies filters to see their own department, region, or project — and every filter change disrupts everyone else. There is no queuing, no locking, and no way for Excel to even tell you that someone else changed the filter.

Complex filter configurations are especially painful to lose. If you have spent time setting up a multi-column filter — filtering by date range, status, and category at the same time — a co-author's single click resets all of it. Rebuilding that filter manually, remembering which values were selected across multiple columns, wastes minutes every time it happens. Over weeks, those minutes add up to hours.

"My co-worker keeps changing the filters on our shared workbook and it resets my view every time"

— A top frustration on r/excel (730K+ weekly visitors). Microsoft's "Sheet Views" was meant to fix this but remains poorly discoverable and limited.

The Solution

Your filters, your way

Filter Guard lets you save filter presets — named snapshots of your filter configuration. Switch between "Q4 by Region," "Overdue Invoices," and "My Assignments" with one click. Filter Guard also includes Hidden Row Protection, which detects when paste operations overwrite filtered-out rows and lets you undo them selectively.

When a co-author changes your filters, Filter Guard detects the change and notifies you. You can restore your saved preset instantly, without manually reapplying each filter column.

All presets are stored locally in your workbook's custom properties. No cloud sync means no conflicts — your presets are yours.

Each preset captures the full filter state for a worksheet: which columns have filters applied, which values are selected, and which are excluded. Restoring a preset reapplies the entire configuration in one operation — no need to remember which checkboxes you had ticked in each column's filter dropdown. You can save as many presets as you need, giving you instant access to every view you use regularly.

Filter Guard also doubles as a productivity tool beyond the shared workbook problem. Even if you work alone, switching between complex filter views is tedious. With saved presets, the filter configurations you use daily — "This Week's Orders," "Flagged Items," "Open Tickets by Priority" — are always one click away instead of a multi-step manual process.

How It Works

Filter protection in four steps

Install SheetGuard and open Filter Guard

Install SheetGuard from the Microsoft Add-ins store and open the sidebar from the Home ribbon. Navigate to the Filter Guard tab. Filter Guard is available immediately during the 14-day Pro trial, so you can test it with your real shared workbooks before committing.

Apply your filters and save a preset

Set up your filters the way you want them — filter by date, status, region, or any combination of columns. Then click "Save Preset" and give it a name like "Q4 Revenue by Region" or "My Open Tasks." The entire filter configuration is captured and stored in the workbook's custom properties.

SheetGuard monitors for changes

Once you have a saved preset, Filter Guard begins monitoring the worksheet's filter state in the background. It checks for changes every few seconds. If a co-author modifies the filters, SheetGuard detects the difference and sends you a notification in the sidebar so you know immediately.

Restore your preset with one click

When you receive a filter change notification, click the restore button to reapply your saved preset instantly. All filter columns are reset to your saved configuration in a single operation. You can also switch between multiple saved presets at any time — no need to wait for a notification.

Common questions about Filter Guard

Filter Guard monitors your worksheet filters and alerts you when a co-author changes them. You can restore your saved filter preset with one click.

Filter Guard is a Pro feature. Try it free during the 14-day Pro trial, then upgrade to keep using it.

You can save up to 50 filter presets per worksheet. Each preset stores the complete filter configuration for that sheet, and all presets are stored in the workbook's custom properties so they persist across sessions.

Filter Guard works with standard AutoFilter ranges. It captures the filter state when filters are applied to a range via Excel's AutoFilter. Table-specific filters (ListObjects) are not currently monitored separately.

Each user's presets are stored locally in their own instance of the workbook. Filter Guard does not create conflicts between users — it simply monitors for changes and lets each person restore their own saved presets independently. If one user restores a preset, the other user will be notified of the change and can restore their own preset in response.

Your spreadsheets. Your rules.

No credit card. No cloud. No cookies.

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