How do I remove items from a list using another list?

Put the main list in List A and the remove/exclusion list in List B. After compare, A only is every main-list item that is not on the exclusion list.

Is this the same as an email suppression list?

Yes—same idea. For send lists and unsubscribes, see Compare email lists. Here you can remove any to-remove list: IDs, SKUs, names, or codes.

Subtract an exclusion list from your main list

Last updated: 2026-09-03

Put your main list in A and the “do not include” list in B—blocked IDs, already-processed rows, or a to-remove column from another sheet. After you compare, A only is the main list with those items taken out.

Setup

List A — the main list you want to keep most of.
List B — the exclusion or already-done list.
A only — the cleaned main list.
Intersection — items that appeared on both (what got removed).

Also covers “remove items using another list”

Same steps: main list in A, items to delete in B, copy A only. That is how you remove blocked IDs, already-processed rows, or any to-remove column without rewriting the main sheet by hand.

Example

A: alpha, bravo, charlie, delta
B (exclude): bravo, delta
A only: alpha, charlie

Paste main list and exclusion list

Loading compare tool…

FAQ

How do I remove items using another list?

Main in A, exclusions in B, copy A only.

Working with emails?

See compare email lists for send vs unsubscribe wording.

Related: find missing items · merge unique