# Conditional formatting

**Conditional formatting is a feature that sets various styling on cells/ranges based on their values. It is accessible via the `ConditionalFormatting` property of the ExcelWorksheet class or via ranges. EPPlus supports 45 different types of conditional formatting and provides a strongly typed interface for each type.**

## Add conditional formatting

On the ConditionalFormatting property of worksheets/ranges you will find a number of methods starting with "Add" followed by the type of Conditional formatting you want to use.

### Basic example

Here is a simple example where we add a GreaterThan rule, using the `ConditionalFormatting.AddGreaterThan()` method. Cells with a higher value than 1 will get green background with white font color.

```csharp
sheet.Cells["A1"].Value = 1;
sheet.Cells["A2"].Value = 2;
sheet.Cells["A3"].Value = 3;

var cf = sheet.ConditionalFormatting.AddGreaterThan(sheet.Cells["A1:A3"]);
// alternatively:
//var cf = sheet.Cells["A1:A3"].ConditionalFormatting.AddGreaterThan();
cf.Formula = "1";
cf.Style.Fill.BackgroundColor.SetColor(Color.Green);
cf.Style.Font.Color.SetColor(Color.White);
```

```vbnet
sheet.Cells("A1").Value = 1
sheet.Cells("A2").Value = 2
sheet.Cells("A3").Value = 3

Dim cf = sheet.ConditionalFormatting.AddGreaterThan(sheet.Cells("A1:A3"))
' alternatively:
'Dim cf = sheet.Cells("A1:A3").ConditionalFormatting.AddGreaterThan()
cf.Formula = "1"
cf.Style.Fill.BackgroundColor.SetColor(Color.Green)
cf.Style.Font.Color.SetColor(Color.White)
```

Result:

## More examples

Here are some more examples of various types of Conditional Formatting. - [Three Color Scale](<https://epplussoftware.com/docs/styling/conditional-formatting/three-color-scale-example/index.md>) - [Three Icon Set](<https://epplussoftware.com/docs/styling/conditional-formatting/three-icon-set-example/index.md>) - [Databars](<https://epplussoftware.com/docs/styling/conditional-formatting/databars/index.md>)

Here are some examples and info only applicable from epplus 7.0 forward: \* [Custom Iconsets Example](<https://epplussoftware.com/docs/styling/conditional-formatting/custom-iconsets/index.md>) \* [Advanced Color Options Example](<https://epplussoftware.com/docs/styling/conditional-formatting/colors/index.md>) \* [Priority Example](<https://epplussoftware.com/docs/styling/conditional-formatting/priority/index.md>) \* [Order In the worksheet on Load](<https://epplussoftware.com/docs/styling/conditional-formatting/order-in-the-worksheet/index.md>) \* [Specific-Text-Formulas](<https://epplussoftware.com/docs/Conditional-Formatting-Specific-Text-Formulas/index.md>)

## Read/edit conditional formatting

To get a the specific typed conditional formatting rule from the ConditionalFormatting collection use the `As` property of the base class. You can then change the values of the properties of casted object.

Example:

```csharp
if(worksheet.ConditionalFormatting[0].Type==eExcelConditionalFormattingRuleType.ThreeIconSet)
{
    var iconRule = worksheet.ConditionalFormatting[0].As.ThreeIconSet; //Type cast the rule as an iconset rule.    
    //Do something with the iconRule...
}
if (worksheet.ConditionalFormatting[1].Type == eExcelConditionalFormattingRuleType.DataBar)
{
    var dataBarRule = worksheet.ConditionalFormatting[1].As.DataBar; //Type cast the rule as an iconset rule.
    //Do something with the databarRule...
}
```

```vbnet
If worksheet.ConditionalFormatting(0).Type = eExcelConditionalFormattingRuleType.ThreeIconSet Then
    Dim iconRule = worksheet.ConditionalFormatting(0).As.ThreeIconSet 'Type cast the rule as an iconset rule.
    'Do something with the iconRule...
End If
If worksheet.ConditionalFormatting(1).Type = eExcelConditionalFormattingRuleType.DataBar Then
    Dim dataBarRule = worksheet.ConditionalFormatting(1).As.DataBar 'Type cast the rule as an iconset rule.
    'Do something with the databarRule...
End If
```

## Remove conditional formatting

Use the following methods which are available on the `ConditionalFormatting` property on worksheets or ranges.

| Method | Description |
| --- | --- |
| `Remove(IExcelConditionalFormattingRule item)` | Removes the item from the collection |
| `RemoveAll` | Removes all items from the collection |
| `RemoveAt(int index)` | Removes an item by its 0-based index |
| `RemoveByPriority(int priority)` | Removes a conditional formatting by its priority |

## See also

More extensive examples are available in our sample projects, see [Sample 3.2-C\#](<https://github.com/EPPlusSoftware/EPPlus.Samples.CSharp/tree/master/03-Styling/02-Conditional formatting>) and [Sample 3.2-VB](<https://github.com/EPPlusSoftware/EPPlus.Samples.VB/tree/master/03-Styling/02-Conditional formatting>)