How to Remove Keep Only and Exclude in Tableau

Accidentally clicking "Keep Only" or "Exclude" on a data point in Tableau and then not knowing how to undo it is a rite of passage for every new user. Don't worry, you're not the first person to get stuck staring at a filtered view, and you won't be the last. This article will show you several quick and easy ways to remove those filters and get your full visualization back.

What Are "Keep Only" and "Exclude" in Tableau?

Before diving into how to remove them, it helps to know what these options are doing behind the scenes. When you select one or more marks (like a bar in a chart or a point on a map), right-click, and choose "Keep Only" or "Exclude," you're not just hiding data, you're creating a quick, temporary filter.

• Keep Only: This command tells Tableau to filter your view to show only the data points you selected. Everything else is hidden.
• Exclude: As you might guess, this does the opposite. It hides the data points you selected and keeps everything else visible.

These commands are incredibly useful for ad-hoc analysis. If you see an interesting outlier, you can instantly isolate it with "Keep Only" to take a closer look. Similarly, if a single category is skewing your view, "Exclude" can remove it so you can see the other categories more clearly.

The confusion starts when you’re done with that quick analysis and want to return to your original, unfiltered view. Here are the best ways to get back on track.

Method 1: The Trusty "Undo" Button (The Easiest Fix)

The simplest way to reverse a "Keep Only" or "Exclude" action is to use the Undo command immediately after you do it. This works perfectly if it's the very last thing you did on the worksheet.

How to Use It:

1. On the toolbar at the very top of the Tableau window, look for the curved back arrow. This is the Undo button.
2. Click the Undo button once.
3. Your visualization should immediately revert to its previous state, showing all the data again.

You can also use the classic keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+Z on Windows or Cmd+Z on a Mac.

When this won't work: The Undo button rewinds your actions one by one. If you performed several other actions after applying the filter - like changing colors, adjusting a font, or adding a label - you’ll have to click Undo multiple times, reversing those other changes as well. If you've done too much work since then, you’ll want to try a more precise method.

Method 2: Remove the Filter Pill from the Filters Shelf

This is the most reliable way to remove a "Keep Only" or "Exclude" filter without undoing any other work you've done. When you use one of these commands, Tableau automatically creates a filter and adds it to the Filters shelf in your worksheet. Finding and removing it is a direct fix.

Let's use an example. Imagine you have a bar chart showing Sales by Sub-Category, and you right-click on the "Tables" bar and select "Exclude."

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Locate the Filters Shelf: Look at the main worksheet area where you build your charts. On the left side, you'll see shelves like "Columns," "Rows," and "Marks." The "Filters" shelf is located just above the "Marks" card.
2. Identify the New Filter: After you clicked "Exclude," a new "pill" will appear on the Filters shelf. Its name will match the dimension you acted on. In our example, a pill named Sub-Category (Action) or similar would appear. It often includes an icon that looks like a Venn diagram or a set.
3. Remove the Filter Pill: There are two simple ways to remove it:

As soon as you remove the pill, the filter is gone, and your chart will go back to showing all your original data points, including "Tables."

Method 3: Edit the Filter Instead of Removing It

Sometimes, you don't want to remove the filter entirely, you just want to change it. Maybe you selected "Keep Only" on three states but meant to select four. Or you excluded the wrong product category. Instead of starting over, you can simply edit the filter that Tableau created.

How to Edit the Filter:

1. Follow the steps above to locate the filter pill on the Filters shelf.
2. Hover over the pill and click the dropdown arrow to open the context menu.
3. Instead of "Remove," select "Edit Filter...".
4. A dialog box will pop up. This box shows you the set of items that are being included or excluded. From here, you can:
5. Click "OK" or "Apply" to save your changes.

This method gives you much more control than a simple undo. It's perfect for fine-tuning your analysis without having to completely rebuild your custom view from scratch.

What If I Can't Find the Filters Shelf?

Occasionally, you might find that the Filters shelf isn't visible on your worksheet. If this happens, don't panic! It’s easy to bring it back.

To Restore the Filters Card:

• Go to the main application menu at the top of the screen.
• Click on "Worksheet".
• In the dropdown menu, hover over "Show Cards".
• From the submenu that appears, ensure that "Filters Shelf" has a checkmark next to it. If it doesn’t, click it to make it visible.

You can do the same for the "Pages" or "Marks" cards if they're ever missing.

The Last Resort: Clearing the Entire Sheet

If you're completely stuck and none of the other methods seem to work, or if you just want to start the sheet over from scratch, you can use the "Clear Sheet" command. Be warned: this is a clean slate option. It will remove every single field from every shelf - Rows, Columns, Filters, Marks, everything.

How to Clear a Sheet:

1. Navigate to the toolbar at the top of your Tableau window.
2. Look for an icon that looks like a grid with a small red 'X' over it. This is the "Clear Sheet" button.
3. Click it. The entire worksheet will be cleared, ready for you to rebuild your visualization.

Use this option with care, as there's no way to undo it. You’ll have to remember which pills were on which shelves to rebuild your view.

Final Thoughts

Getting momentarily stuck on a "Keep Only" or "Exclude" filter is a classic Tableau learning curve moment. The key is remembering that these actions aren't permanent, they simply create a filter pill that can be easily removed from the Filters shelf, undone with a click, or edited to fit your specific needs.

While powerful tools like Tableau offer endless customization, they also come with a lot of these little user interface quirks that can slow you down. It's why we built Graphed for teams who need answers without having to memorize menus or hunt for filter cards. We provide a much simpler way to analyze your data by letting you use natural language. Instead of clicking and removing filters, you could just ask, "Show me all sub-categories again," and get your full view back instantly. It turns hours of data wrangling into a quick conversation.