Key Takeaway:
- Deleting a single row in Excel is quick and easy: simply choose the row that needs to be deleted, right-click on the row number, and click on “Delete”.
- If you need to delete multiple rows, the process is just as easy: choose the rows that need to be deleted, right-click on the row numbers, and click on “Delete”.
- To delete every other row, select the first row, select the last row, press “Ctrl + -“, and click on “Delete Entire Row”. Following these three methods will make the row deletion process smooth and efficient.
Struggling to delete a row in Excel? You’re not alone. Many people find this basic task difficult and time consuming. Discover the 3 best ways to easily delete rows in Excel and save your precious time.
How to Delete a Row in Excel: The 3 Best Methods
Wondering how you can delete rows in Excel? Here are the top three methods. From simple to complex, I’ll show you how to:
- delete a single row
- delete multiple rows
- delete every other row
Get ready to have a toolbox full of techniques for keeping your spreadsheets neat and organized. Let’s get started!
Deleting a Single Row
Deleting a single row in Excel is doable in just a few clicks. Follow these steps to make it happen:
- Open the Excel doc and save it.
- Click the row number you want to delete; it’ll be highlighted by default.
- Right-click on the row and select “Delete” from the dropdown menu.
- A dialog box will appear. Choose to shift cells up or left. Then, click OK.
- The row is deleted.
- Save the changes.
Deleting rows in Excel is vital. It lets you change or remove info without affecting other parts. There are three best ways to do it. You can use filters and cell values to choose the data you need automatically.
For example, Jack needed an expense report. He had an extra row that was bothering him visually. Deleting it was easy: he right-clicked the row number and hit “Delete.” Problem solved!
Learn how to delete rows in Excel quickly and keep your workflow productive and concise.
Choose the Row that needs to be Deleted
Place the cursor at the beginning of the row you want to delete. Select the entire row. It’s time to get rid of it. This article explains several methods. Pick the right one for you. Double-check your data before deleting anything. Pro Tip: Make a backup of your spreadsheet before deleting any rows or columns.
1.1.2 Right-Click on the Row Number is an efficient way to delete multiple rows. Select all rows simultaneously, instead of deleting them one by one.
To delete this text: I’m sorry, I cannot make any changes to the given text.
Right-Click on the Row Number
Here’s what you must do:
- Highlight the entire row you’d like to delete.
- Right-click on the row number. This is located on the left side of your screen, next to the worksheet.
- Select “Delete” in the dropdown menu.
It’s that simple! Your chosen row will be deleted right away.
One great thing about this technique is that it’s faster and easier than other methods. Not to mention, even a beginner computer user can do it in no time.
In fact, if you have been using Excel, you may already know this useful feature. It has been around for a while, and even older versions of Excel used this same process.
Other methods can also be used to delete rows or data sets in Excel – like shortcut keys – but the right-click functionality in Excel is still a great choice.
Now, we’ll discuss another easy method: 1.1.3 Click on “Delete”.
Click on “Delete”
Follow these 4 steps to delete a single row:
- Click on the row number on the left of the spreadsheet.
- Right-click inside the selected row.
- Choose “Delete” in the context menu.
- Choose “Entire Row” and click OK.
Deleting a single row can be done using this, but it eliminates all data and formats within it. Use caution!
If you want to delete many rows at once, press Shift and select them all. Then, right-click an area within one of the highlighted cells and choose Delete from the context menu.
Pro Tip: Use Ctrl + “-“ to save more time if you have a lot of rows.
Let’s move on to 1.2 Deleting Multiple Rows. This may be helpful if you wish to remove columns or groups of cells while preserving others.
Deleting Multiple Rows
Do you have an extensive sheet with lots of info and need to quickly tidy it up? Methods One and Two will come in handy. You can also Automatically Remove Blank Rows using VBA Macros.
The time and efficiency levels of the methods vary. For example, my friend had to delete over 5000 records manually and used Method One. It took her almost half an hour, deleting them in batches of 500.
There are many ways to Choose the Rows that need to be Deleted in Excel. Let’s explore them!
Choose the Rows that need to be Deleted
To delete multiple rows in Excel, follow these 6 steps:
- Open the worksheet with the rows you want to delete.
- Hover your cursor over the row number. This will highlight the cell information.
- Hold the cursor and drag down until all desired rows are highlighted.
- Release the cursor when every row is highlighted.
- Right-click on any of the row numbers.
- Choose “Delete” from the drop-down menu.
Using keyboard shortcuts is simpler for consecutive rows. Select a cell from the row, press and hold ‘Shift’ whilst using arrow keys to select all rows needed to be deleted, then right-click and delete.
When selecting which rows should be deleted, choose contiguous (adjacent) or non-contiguous (not adjacent) groups of data instead of individual sets. Pressing ‘Shift + Space’ on any cell(s) will select an entire row, saving time. Alternatively, right-click on row numbers.
Right-Click on the Row Numbers
Begin by clicking and dragging the cursor over the rows you wish to delete. Then, right-click on one of the row numbers. A drop-down menu will appear. Select “Delete” from the menu and the selected rows will be removed.
Before deleting, you can choose “Shift cells up” or “Shift cells down”. Confirm the deletion by clicking “OK” in the pop-up window. Deleting multiple rows is a cinch, even for beginners! If unsure which rows to delete, press CTRL while clicking each row number.
In case you delete too many rows, click “Undo” or use Ctrl + Z to undo the last command.
Now we’ve gone over how to Right-Click on Row Numbers, let’s continue with 1.2.3 Click on “Delete”.
Click on “Delete”
To delete a row or rows in your Excel worksheet, first select them. Right-click for a context menu, then choose “Delete” from the list. Or use the shortcut: “Shift + Ctrl + -“.
In the ribbon interface, go to the “Home” tab and click the arrow icon in the “Cells” group”. Select either “Entire Row” or “Contents“.
If there are lots of blank rows, apply a filter for blank values. All empty rows will be shown and you can delete them with one button press.
When deleting multiple rows, make sure they are all together. Otherwise, some unselected cells might also be deleted.
Let’s move on to the next topic: 1.3 Deleting Every Other Row.
Deleting Every Other Row
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Pick the first cell in the top row you wish to delete.
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Press and hold the Shift key.
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Use arrow keys to go down one row each time. Keep going until all desired rows are selected. Skip one row each time.
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After all rows are chosen, press Ctrl+minus.
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A dialogue box appears asking to shift cells up or left. Select ‘Shift Cells Up‘.
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Click OK, then every other row will be deleted.
This method helps users save time by skipping multiple rows at once. It’s useful for sorting data, eliminating duplicates after sorting. Professionals have used it for years.
Jane was creating a report on quarterly revenue for her company. She had too many columns from various departments. Deleting every other row allowed her to segregate desired data since some teams had the same revenue figures. It saved her time and presented straightforward information.
Select the First Row
To select the first row in Excel, follow these easy steps:
- Click on the number “1” to the left of your worksheet’s first row.
- The entire row will be highlighted when you click on the number. This means you have successfully selected the first row.
- Check if every column has been highlighted with the Row 1 cell.
- If there’s data present in Row 1, copy or move it somewhere else before you delete it.
- Lastly, press “Delete” or “Ctrl + Minus (-)” keys to delete the row.
Pro Tip: You can also use shortcuts! Hold down SHIFT key and use up or down arrows to select multiple rows at once.
Now let’s move onto the next heading “1.3.2 Selecting the Last Row.” Here we will discuss how to quickly select the last rows of your worksheet with a few clicks!
Select the Last Row
Selecting the last row in Excel is simple. Just follow this 5-step guide:
- Click on the row number of the second-last row.
- Hold down the Shift key and press the down arrow key. This selects all rows from there to the bottom.
- Release both keys, then right-click one of the selected rows.
- Choose “Delete” from the context menu and, if needed, select “Entire row”.
- Confirm with “OK” or Enter.
This method prevents accidentally deleting headers or other important info. Plus, it works for any number of rows.
It won’t work as well for documents with empty cells or irregular formatting. To delete a few items, you can manually select each row after the data ends. Or, hit Ctrl + End and then Shift + Spacebar to select the entire row beneath before deleting. Finally, pressing “Ctrl + -“ is another way to remove one or more rows.
Press “Ctrl + -“
The “Ctrl + –” keyboard shortcut is perfect for deleting rows in Excel. Here’s how to use it:
- Select the cell/row you want to delete.
- Hold down the Ctrl key.
- Press the minus (-) key.
- A dialog box will appear. Choose the right option.
- Click OK and the row is gone.
This shortcut is an efficient way to delete rows without taking many steps.
There are other methods you can use, like deleting every other row. To do this, select the first row you want to delete, then hold down the Shift key and select the last row. Press “Ctrl + -” and choose the option to shift cells up or left.
This way, you can remove every other row from a spreadsheet quickly.
I once had to delete thousands of rows of data, which would have taken forever manually. I found the “Ctrl + -” shortcut and finished the task in no time – showing just how useful shortcuts can be with Excel!
Click on “Delete Entire Row”
Click on the row you want to delete. Right-click and select “Delete Entire Row“. This will remove the row from your spreadsheet.
You can delete multiple rows at once by selecting them and following the same steps.
Save your file or create a backup copy before deleting many rows. This way, you won’t lose data if something goes wrong.
Also, exclude any data that shouldn’t be deleted from your selection.
Finally, we have 3 methods for deleting rows in Excel – single, multiple, and every other row.
Five Facts About How To Delete A Row In Excel: The 3 Best Ways
- ✅ The easiest way to delete a row in Excel is to select the entire row by clicking on the row number, right-click, and choose “Delete.” (Source: Microsoft Support)
- ✅ Another way to delete a row in Excel is to use the “Delete” button on your keyboard after selecting the row. (Source: Excel Easy)
- ✅ The third way to delete a row in Excel is to use the “Home” tab, select “Delete” in the “Cells” group, and choose “Delete Entire Row.” (Source: Excel Campus)
- ✅ Deleting a row in Excel may cause issues with formulas and calculations that reference the deleted row. (Source: ExcelJet)
- ✅ It’s important to be cautious when deleting rows in Excel and consider the impact on the rest of your spreadsheet before making any changes. (Source: Lifewire)
FAQs about How To Delete A Row In Excel: The 3 Best Ways
How do I delete a row in Excel?
To delete a row in Excel, you can use any of the three methods:
- Use the “Delete” command from the “Home” tab on the ribbon.
- Right-click on the row you want to delete and select “Delete” from the context menu.
- Select the row you want to delete, then press the “Delete” key on your keyboard.
What happens when I delete a row in Excel?
When you delete a row in Excel, all the data in that row is permanently erased. The rows below the deleted row will move up to take its place.
Can I undo a row deletion in Excel?
Yes, you can undo the deletion of a row in Excel using the “Undo” command (Ctrl+Z) or by clicking the “Undo” button on the Quick Access Toolbar (to the left of the “Redo” button).
How do I delete multiple rows at once in Excel?
To delete multiple rows at once in Excel, select the rows you want to delete by dragging your mouse over them while holding down the left mouse button. Then, use any of the three methods mentioned earlier to delete the selected rows.
How do I delete a row only if it contains certain data in Excel?
To delete a row only if it contains certain data in Excel, you can use the “Filter” command from the “Data” tab on the ribbon. Then, filter the column that contains the data you want to delete rows based on, and delete the filtered rows as needed.
Is it possible to recover a deleted row in Excel?
If you have not saved the workbook after deleting a row, you may be able to recover it using the “Undo” command or by closing Excel without saving the changes. If you have saved the workbook after deleting a row, it may be possible to recover the deleted data using third-party data recovery software.
Nick Bilton is a British-American journalist, author, and coder. He is currently a special correspondent at Vanity Fair.