The fastest way to delete a row in Excel

Right-click on the row number on the left side of the spreadsheet — the number itself, not a cell in that row. A menu will appear. Click "Delete" and the entire row disappears. Everything below it shifts up to fill the gap.

If you need to delete multiple rows at once, click the first row number, then hold Shift and click the last row number you want to remove. All rows between them will highlight in blue. Right-click and select "Delete", and they all vanish together.

This method works the same way whether you are using Excel on Windows, Mac, or the web version. The row numbers are always on the left edge, and the right-click menu is always the fastest route.

Key Takeaways

  • Right-click the row number on the left side and select Delete to remove an entire row and shift everything below it upward.
  • Select multiple rows by clicking the first, holding Shift, and clicking the last, then right-click and delete them all at once.
  • Deleted rows cannot be recovered unless you undo the action when ready with Ctrl+Z (Windows) or Command+Z (Mac).
  • If you only want to clear the contents of a row without deleting the row itself, right-click and choose Clear Contents instead.
  • Deleting a row is different from hiding it — deleted rows are gone, while hidden rows can be unhidden later.

Why you might want to clear contents instead of deleting

When you delete a row, Excel removes it completely and shifts everything below upward. This changes the structure of your spreadsheet. If other sheets reference cells in this spreadsheet by row number, those references may break.

If you only want to remove the data but keep the row itself in place, right-click the row number and select "Clear Contents" instead. The row stays where it is, but all the data in it disappears. This is safer if your spreadsheet is linked to other files or if you have formulas that depend on specific row positions.

Undoing a deletion you did not mean to make

If you delete a row and when ready realize you made a mistake, press Ctrl+Z on Windows or Command+Z on Mac. Excel will restore the row and everything in it. This works as long as you have not made any other changes since the deletion.

If you have made other changes and want to undo only the deletion, you can still try Ctrl+Z or Command+Z — Excel will undo your most recent action first. Keep pressing it to step backward through your recent changes until the row reappears. Once you see the row come back, stop pressing the undo key.

If you closed the file without saving after the deletion, the row is gone for good. Excel does not recover deleted rows from closed files. This is why it is worth taking a moment to check your work before closing.

Deleting rows versus hiding rows

Excel also lets you hide rows instead of deleting them. When you hide a row, it disappears from view but stays in the file. The row numbers will skip — you might see row 5, then row 8, with rows 6 and 7 hidden. If you change your mind, you can unhide them anytime.

Hiding is useful when you want to focus on certain data without removing anything. Deleting is the right choice when you are sure you do not need the row anymore and you want to clean up the spreadsheet permanently.

To hide a row instead of deleting it, right-click the row number and select "Hide". To unhide rows later, select the rows on either side of the hidden ones, right-click, and choose "Unhide".

What happens to formulas when you delete a row

If your spreadsheet contains formulas that reference cells in the deleted row, those formulas will break. For example, if a formula in another sheet says "=Sheet1!A5" and you delete row 5, that formula will show an error.

Before you delete a row, scan the spreadsheet for any formulas that might reference it. You can use the Find function (Ctrl+F on Windows, Command+F on Mac) to search for the row number in formulas. If you find references, you have two choices: update the formulas to point to a different row, or use Clear Contents instead of Delete so the row stays in place.

Deleting rows in filtered or sorted data

If you have filtered your spreadsheet to show only certain rows, be careful when deleting. When you delete a row in a filtered view, Excel deletes the actual row from the file, not just from the filtered view. The rows you cannot see will still be affected.

Before deleting rows in a filtered spreadsheet, remove the filter first to see all your data. Click the Data menu and select "Clear" under the Filter section. Once you can see all rows, you can delete with confidence that you are only removing what you intend to remove.

Selecting and deleting non-consecutive rows

If you want to delete rows that are not next to each other — for example, row 3 and row 7 but not rows 4, 5, and 6 — click the first row number, then hold Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac) and click each additional row number you want to delete. They will all highlight in blue even though they are not touching.

Once all the rows you want are selected, right-click any of the highlighted row numbers and select "Delete". All selected rows will disappear at once, and the remaining rows will shift up to fill the gaps.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I undo a deletion if I saved the file after deleting?

No. Once you save the file, the undo history is cleared and the deleted row is gone permanently. Excel does not keep a backup of deleted rows. If you realize the deletion was a mistake after saving, your only option is to manually re-enter the data if you have a copy of it elsewhere.

What is the difference between deleting a row and deleting a column?

The process is identical — right-click the column letter at the top and select Delete. The difference is what disappears. Deleting a row removes horizontal data and shifts everything below upward. Deleting a column removes vertical data and shifts everything to the right leftward.

If I delete a row, do the row numbers renumber automatically?

Yes. If you delete row 5, what was row 6 becomes row 5, what was row 7 becomes row 6, and so on. Excel renumbers automatically. This is why deleting can break formulas that reference specific row numbers in other sheets.

Can I delete a row if it contains a formula?

Yes, you can delete any row regardless of its contents. But if that formula is referenced elsewhere in your spreadsheet or in other files, deleting the row will break those references. Check first by searching for the row number in your formulas before you delete.

What happens if I delete a row that is part of a table in Excel?

If your data is formatted as an Excel table, deleting a row removes it from the table and the table shrinks. Any formulas that reference the table by name will automatically adjust to the new size. This is actually safer than deleting from regular data because the formulas stay intact.