Delete a formula by selecting the cell and pressing Delete

To remove a formula from a cell in Excel, click the cell that contains the formula, then press the Delete key on your keyboard. The formula disappears and the cell becomes empty. This is the fastest way to clear a single cell or a small group of cells.

If you want to delete the formula but keep the result it calculated, you need a different approach. Copy the cell with the formula, then use Paste Special to paste only the value back into the same cell. This replaces the formula with the number or text it produced.

Key Takeaways

  • Pressing Delete removes the formula and empties the cell completely.
  • To keep the calculated result after deleting the formula, use Paste Special and choose Values Only.
  • You can delete multiple formulas at once by selecting a range of cells before pressing Delete.
  • If you delete a formula by mistake, press Ctrl+Z when ready to undo the deletion.

Delete multiple formulas at the same time

Select all the cells containing formulas you want to remove. Click the first cell, hold Shift, and click the last cell in the range. Or click and drag across the cells you need. Then press Delete and all the formulas in that selection disappear at once.

This method works for any shape of selection — a single row, a single column, a rectangle, or even cells scattered across the sheet if you hold Ctrl and click each one individually. Excel deletes the formula from every cell you selected.

Keep the result when you delete the formula

When you delete a formula, the cell empties completely. If other cells reference that cell, they may show an error. To avoid this, convert the formula to its result first. Click the cell with the formula, press Ctrl+C to copy it, then right-click and choose Paste Special.

In the Paste Special dialog, click the Values Only button (or the Values radio button, depending on your Excel version), then click OK. The formula is replaced with the number or text it calculated. Now you can safely delete the formula from other cells that depend on it, because the value remains.

You can also select multiple cells with formulas and use Paste Special on all of them at once. Select the range, copy it, then use Paste Special with Values Only on the same range.

Undo a deleted formula when ready

If you delete a formula and realize you need it back, press Ctrl+Z right away. Excel restores the formula to the cell. You can undo multiple steps in a row by pressing Ctrl+Z repeatedly, stepping back through your recent changes.

The undo history is limited — Excel typically stores the last 100 actions, though this depends on your settings and available memory. If you have closed the file and reopened it, the undo history is gone and you cannot recover the deleted formula this way.

Clear formulas from an entire column or row

Click the column letter at the top to select the entire column, or click the row number on the left to select the entire row. Then press Delete. Every formula in that column or row disappears. This is useful when you want to start fresh with a section of your spreadsheet.

Be careful with this approach — it removes formulas from every cell in that column or row, not just the ones with data. If you have formulas scattered throughout and only want to remove some of them, select just the range you need instead of the entire column or row.

Delete formulas without affecting other sheets

If your workbook has multiple sheets and one sheet contains formulas that other sheets reference, deleting those formulas causes errors on the other sheets. Before you delete, check whether other sheets use the cells you are about to clear. Look for formulas that start with the sheet name, like =Sheet2!A1.

If other sheets depend on the cells, convert the formulas to values first using Paste Special. This way, the other sheets still have the numbers they need, even though the original formulas are gone. Then you can safely delete the formulas without breaking the other sheets.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens to cells that reference a deleted formula?

They show a #REF! error. To prevent this, convert the formula to its value using Paste Special before deleting it. That way, the cells that reference it still have the number they need.

Can I delete just part of a formula?

No. When you press Delete, the entire formula is removed. If you want to edit the formula instead of deleting it, press F2 or double-click the cell to enter edit mode, then change the formula and press Enter.

Does Delete remove the formula or just the result?

Delete removes the entire formula and empties the cell. The result disappears too. If you want to keep the result, use Paste Special with Values Only before pressing Delete.

How do I delete a formula from just one cell in a range?

Click that single cell and press Delete. Only that cell is affected. You do not have to select the entire range.

What if I delete a formula by accident?

Press Ctrl+Z when ready to undo. You can undo multiple times to step back through your recent changes. If you have closed and reopened the file, the undo history is lost.