Select multiple values using Select By Attributes

Summary

When using the Select by Attributes tool, query operators such as IN, LIKE, OR, and NOT can be used to determine the type of selection for multiple values. Refer to ArcMap: SQL reference for query expressions used in ArcGIS for more information on the query operators types.

Note:
ArcMap is in Mature support and will be retired March 1, 2026. There are no plans for future releases of ArcMap, and it is recommended that you migrate to ArcGIS Pro. See Migrate from ArcMap to ArcGIS Pro for more information.

Procedure

The following workflow uses the IN query operator to select multiple values. This workflow is also applicable to the other query operators; LIKE, OR, and NOT.

1. In ArcMap, open the attribute table of the layer.
2. Click the Table Options button  > Select By Attributes.
3. Double-click the field containing the desired values.
4. Add a space after the field name and type IN.
5. Select the parentheses icon.

6. In the parentheses, select or type the values. Separate each value with a comma.

Note:
If it is a text field, apply single quotes around each value.

The following is a sample query:

<field name> IN (<field value>, <field value>)

7. Click Apply.

Note:
This method can also be used to select numeric and string values.