Google Sheets filtering hides rows for your teammates

Separate the shared filter from a named filter view so you can examine project rows without changing what teammates see.

Identify which view is changing

Ask a teammate to compare one known record while you change a filter, without editing that record. For example, you are looking for Ready tasks while they need In progress tasks. If your choice hides their task, a shared filter is the first thing to inspect—not deletion or a missing permission.

What you are using	Who follows its filtering?
Ordinary filter created with Data > Create a filter	The shared default view
A named filter view	People who choose that view
A viewer's temporary filter view	That viewer, for the current use

Google's filter comparison separates the shared default from named views. A filter view is not a private copy of the data.

Preserve the shared setup before replacing it

Note the filtered columns, selected values, and conditions before choosing Data > Remove filter. Agree with the team whether the normal view should show all records or keep a particular shared filter. Do not reset a reporting view that someone else needs simply to do your own analysis.

Google's filter model explains that clearing a basic filter removes its settings. A sheet can retain several filter views, but only one can be active for you at a time; the basic filter and a filter view do not operate together on the same range.

Create a view for your task

In the native Google spreadsheet on a computer:

Select the full record range, including its header and related columns.
Choose Data > Create filter view.
Open the relevant column's filter control and choose your condition or values.
Use Save View, then Save. Give the view a useful name, such as Ready tasks — review.
Close it using Close at the top right. Reopen it through Data > Change view.

These are the current controls in Google's sorting and filtering guide. If you only have viewing permission, the view is temporary and cannot be saved; you do not need Editor access just to examine the rows.

Compare two views of the same record

Have your teammate keep their normal view or choose a different named view. Apply Ready tasks — review, then compare the same task ID in each view. Your filtering should affect your view without switching theirs.

For example, task T-204 may be absent from your Ready view because its status is In progress, while still visible in the teammate's view. Close your view and find that same ID again. This checks the filtering behavior without changing the task's status to make it fit your search.

If you send a filtered link, activate the intended view before copying the URL. Anyone using that view sees its filtering; another person's use of it is not evidence that their entire spreadsheet was changed.

A filter view does not restrict access

Keep confidential client records in a file shared with the right audience. A filtered view merely changes what is displayed; it does not grant or remove file access. Even sheet protection and hiding are not substitutes for a suitable sharing audience.

If rows remain missing after closing your view, inspect the shared filter with the owner before changing values or deleting rows. If you can see a record but cannot edit its cell, follow the separate protected-cell checks.

For a view that still changes unexpectedly, use Need more help? in Google's filter guide. Include your file role, the view name, and whether the teammate opened a filtered link. Redact private records and account details.