# Excel question - How do I get rid of these triangles? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 8, 2021, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-question-how-do-i-get-rid-of-these-triangles/952178 "2021-10-08T22:06:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2021, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-question-how-do-i-get-rid-of-these-triangles/952178/1 "2021-10-08T22:06:21Z")
I was minding my own business in an Excel spreadsheet when it suddenly looked weird. Appearing at the top of each column there appeared a small triangle (see below). When clicking on it, the drop down menu seems to think I want to do some sorting (see below again). How do I get rid of these triangles? Thanks! mmm [![Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/AGwgCgw.jpeg "imgur.com") ](https://imgur.com/AGwgCgw) [![Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/vUQoXNF.jpeg "imgur.com") ](https://imgur.com/vUQoXNF) ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2021, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-question-how-do-i-get-rid-of-these-triangles/952178/2 "2021-10-08T22:13:59Z")
If they appear on the top of every column in a block, they are filters. Probably one of the most commonly used features of Excel. Off the Home, sort & filter, filter (should be selected), click again to toggle off. Or Shift+Ctrl+L ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2021, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-question-how-do-i-get-rid-of-these-triangles/952178/3 "2021-10-08T22:27:32Z")
I knew it would be simple. Thanks! mmm ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2021, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-question-how-do-i-get-rid-of-these-triangles/952178/4 "2021-10-08T22:55:14Z")
If they are part of a Table definition then you can’t just turn them off. You have to go to **Table Design** under the horizontal command bar and uncheck _Filter Button_. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2021, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-question-how-do-i-get-rid-of-these-triangles/952178/5 "2021-10-13T05:16:04Z")
You can get rid of them, but you can also leave them and learn to use them to accomplish some fairly neat things. If you don’t like how they cover the column headings, you can widen the columns to fix that. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2021, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-question-how-do-i-get-rid-of-these-triangles/952178/6 "2021-10-14T10:42:49Z")
OK, I turned them off. Then I turned them on again and learned how to use them, and yes, they are cool and useful. Leaving them on. mmm ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2021, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-question-how-do-i-get-rid-of-these-triangles/952178/7 "2021-10-14T12:14:35Z")
Probably one of the best things I’ve assisted another poster with on SDMB. 😊