How to delete a cell in excel

Answer

Deleting a cell removes its content and shifts surrounding cells to fill the gap. To delete a cell in Excel, follow these steps depending on your device.

Windows

1. Select the cell you want to delete.

2. Right-click the selected cell.

3. Choose Delete.

4. Select one of the shift options:

   • Shift cells left moves cells from the right into the deleted position.

   • Shift cells up moves cells from below into the deleted position.

5. Click OK.

Mac

1. Select the cell you want to delete.

2. Go to the Edit menu in the top bar.

3. Select Delete.

4. Choose Shift cells left or Shift cells up.

5. Confirm the action.

When to shift cells left

Shift cells left when the deleted cell is part of a horizontal sequence of data.

When to shift cells up

Shift cells up when the deleted cell is part of a vertical sequence of data.

How to delete multiple cells

1. Drag to select the cell range.

2. Right-click the selection.

3. Choose Delete.

4. Select Shift cells left or Shift cells up based on your layout.

5. Confirm the shift.

How to delete a cell without shifting

A direct delete without shifting is not supported. Clearing content is the alternative.

How to clear a cell

1. Select the cell.

2. Press Delete on your keyboard.

The cell stays in place and becomes empty.

How to access delete options through the Ribbon

1. Select the target cell.

2. Open the Home tab.

3. Click the Delete dropdown in the Cells group.

4. Select Delete Cells.

5. Choose a shift direction and confirm.

Can a deleted cell be restored?

Yes, the action can be undone.
Undo the deletion with Ctrl + Z on Windows or Command + Z on Mac.

Impact of deleting a cell

Deleting a cell changes the structure of the worksheet. Data shifts happen instantly and update dependent references in formulas.

Yes · 0 No · 0 Add Comment · 0

Add ·

Report