Delete Row Shortcut In Excel

What Is Shortcut To Delete Row In Excel?

The delete row shortcut in Excel is an option to quickly remove one or more rows in a worksheet. And the keyboard shortcut to delete rows is Ctrl + –.

Users can use the delete row shortcut in Excel to omit unwanted data rows in massive datasets in one go. It thus helps save time and work smartly.

For example, the table below lists fruits, their grades, order dates and quantity data.

And we must delete row 7 as the data for the fruit specified in cell A7 is missing.

So, we can use the delete row shortcut in Excel option, Ctrl + –,to remove row 7.

We must click row number 7 or click on a cell in row 7 and press Shift + Spacebar to select the whole row. And then, press Ctrl + – (Ctrl + Minus Sign) to delete the chosen row.

So, once we remove it, the row which was previously the eighth one moves up and becomes the new row 7.

How To Delete Row In Excel Using Shortcut?

The following are the different delete row shortcut in Excel options, explained with steps and examples.

Deleting A Row Using Excel (Ctrl -) Shortcut – Example #1

The steps to remove a row using the delete row shortcut in Excel, Ctrl + –, are as follows:

1. Click the row number to choose the entire row. Otherwise, select a cell in the required row and press Shift + Spacebar to choose the entire row.
2. Press Ctrl + – (Ctrl + Minus Sign) to delete the chosen row.

[Alternatively, select a cell in the row we want to delete and press Ctrl + –.

The above action will open the Delete dialog box.

And then, press R to select the Entire row option from the list in the Delete dialog box.

Finally, press Enter or click OK to complete the row deletion action.]

Basic Example

The following is an example of a row deletion using keyboard excel shortcut in Excel, Ctrl + –.

The table below lists students, their scores and points in a Mathematics test and project.

However, rows 10 and 11 contain the same data. So, the aim is to delete row 11, and the steps are as follows:

Step 1: Click the row number 11 to select the entire row 11.

Step 2: Press Ctrl + – to delete the chosen row.

Thus, the required row 11 gets removed, and the original row 12 values move one step up and show as the new row 11 data.

[Alternatively, select a row 11 cell, say, cell B11, and press Ctrl + –.

The Delete dialog box opens, after which we must press R to choose the Entire row option.

Finally, press Enter to obtain the below output.

Thus, the required row 11 gets deleted, and the initial row 12 values show as the new row 11 entry, with cell B11 selected.]

Deleting A Row Using Right Click – Example #2

The method to delete a row using right-click is as follows:

1. Click the row number to choose the entire row. Otherwise, select a cell in the required row and press Shift + Spacebar to choose the entire row.
2. Right-click and choose Delete from the contextual menu to delete the chosen row.

[Alternatively, select a cell in the row we plan to delete, right-click and choose Delete from the contextual menu.

The Delete dialog box will open.

Select the Entire row option in the Delete dialog box.

And click OK to delete the required row.]

Basic Example

The below illustration explains the steps to remove a row using right-click as a delete row shortcut in Excel.

The table below lists tech companies and their details.

While all the tech companies are American, Bosch is a German company. So, the task is to delete row 4 containing the data of the company Bosch, and the steps are as follows:

Step 1: Choose cell D4.

And press Shift + Spacebar to choose the entire row 4.

Next, right-click to choose Delete from the context menu.

And once we click the Delete option, row 4 gets removed, with the original row 5 becoming the new row 4.

[Alternatively, we can choose a row 4 cell, say, cell C4 and right-click to select Delete from the context menu.

The Delete dialog box opens, where we must click on the Entire row option.

Finally, click OK to delete row 4.

Thus, the initial row 4, containing the Bosch company details, gets removed from the dataset.

Deleting The Multiple Rows – Example #3

We can use the delete shortcut in Excel to remove multiple rows. And the steps are as follows:

1. Place the cursor on the first row number in the rows we aim to delete. And while pressing the mouse’s left button, drag the mouse over the required continuous rows to select them.
   Otherwise, select a cell in the first row in the rows we aim to delete. And with the mouse’s left button pressed, drag the mouse across the cells in the required rows to choose them. And press Shift + Spacebar to select the corresponding rows entirely.
   On the other hand, if we must delete non-contiguous rows, click the row number of the first row in the set of rows, we must delete. And press Ctrl and click on the row numbers of the remaining required rows to select them.
2. Press Ctrl + – to delete the chosen rows. Otherwise, right-click to choose Delete in the context menu to remove the chosen rows.

[Alternatively, select the cells in continuous rows, which we must delete, as explained above.

And for selecting cells in non-contiguous rows, select a cell in the first row in the rows we must delete. And press Ctrl and click on the cells of the remaining required rows to select them.

And then, press Ctrl + – or right-click to choose Delete in the context menu.

(Refer to the first image for continuous rows deletion and the second for non-contiguous rows deletion.)

The above step will open the Delete dialog box.

(Refer to the first image for continuous rows deletion and the second for non-contiguous rows deletion.)

Choose the Entire row option in the Delete dialog box.

(Refer to the first image for continuous rows deletion and the second for non-contiguous rows deletion.)

Finally, click OK to delete the chosen rows.]

Basic Example

Here is an example explaining how to use the delete shortcut in Excel to remove multiple rows.

The two tables below contain the sales figures for three branch offices of a firm.

While the data in the two tables are the same, the second is sorted in descending order of March month sales values.

And the task is to remove the branch offices, Tampa and Orlando, data. So, we must delete rows 4 and 5 in the first table and rows 10 and 12 in the second.

Step 1: Place the cursor on row number 4, and while pressing the mouse’s left button, drag the mouse over row 5 to select the two rows.

Step 2: Press Ctrl + – to delete rows 4 and 5.

[Alternatively, select cell B4. And while pressing the mouse’s left button click cell B5 to select it.

And then, right-click to select Delete from the context menu.

The Delete dialog box opens, where we must press R or click the Entire row button to select the option.

And press OK.

So, the two continuous rows containing the initially chosen cells get deleted.]

Next, once the original rows 4 and 5 are removed, the initial rows 10 and 12 become rows 8 and 10. And hence we must delete rows 8 and 10 to achieve the required output.

Step 3: Click row number 8 to select the entire row. And then, press Ctrl, and click on row number 10 to select it.

Step 4: Press Ctrl + – to delete the two chosen non-contiguous rows.

[Alternatively, select cell B8, press Ctrl, and click on cell C10 to select it. And then, right-click to choose Delete in the context menu.

The Delete dialog box opens, where we must choose the Entire row option.

And then click OK.

Thus, the two non-contiguous rows containing the initially chosen cells will appear deleted.]

Important Things To Note

• Click the row number to select the whole row when using the delete row shortcut in Excel to remove the specific row.
• Select the Entire row option in the Delete dialog box when using the Delete option to remove one or more rows. Otherwise, the chosen row(s) will not get deleted.
• Selecting the cells in non-contiguous rows and pressing Shift + Spacebar will not select the required rows. We must use the row numbers and the Ctrl key to select non-contiguous rows to delete them.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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