How to apply conditional formatting to highlight specific data in Excel?

To apply conditional formatting to highlight specific data in Excel, follow these steps:

1. Open the Excel worksheet where you want to apply the conditional formatting.
2. Select the range of cells that you want to format.
3. Go to the "Home" tab in the Excel ribbon.
4. Click on the "Conditional Formatting" dropdown menu.
5. Choose the type of conditional formatting rule you want to apply. For example, "Highlight Cells Rules" offer options like "Greater Than," "Less Than," "Between," etc. "Top/Bottom Rules" let you highlight the top or bottom values. "Data Bars," "Color Scales," and "Icon Sets" are pre-built formats.
6. Select the specific formatting rule that suits your requirement. For example, if you choose "Greater Than," you can define a value and any cell in the selected range that exceeds that value will be highlighted.
7. Configure the specific settings of the formatting rule. This may include inputting the criteria, selecting the formatting style (font, fill color, etc.), and customizing any additional options.
8. Click "OK" to apply the conditional formatting rule to the selected range.
9. The formatting will be instantly visible in the cells that meet the specified condition.

You can also create more complex conditional formatting rules using custom formulas by selecting the "Use a formula to determine which cells to format" option in the Conditional Formatting menu.