The fastest way to delete a column

Right-click on the column letter at the top of the sheet — A, B, C, and so on. A menu will appear. Click "Delete column". The column disappears, and all columns to the right shift left to fill the space.

That is the whole process. If you need to delete multiple columns at once, click the first column letter, then hold Shift and click the last column letter you want to remove. Right-click anywhere in the selected columns and choose "Delete column" again.

Google Sheets does not ask you to confirm the deletion, so the column is gone as soon as you click. If you delete the wrong column by accident, press Ctrl+Z (or Cmd+Z on Mac) when ready to undo.

Key Takeaways

  • Right-click the column letter at the top and select "Delete column" to remove a single column when ready.
  • To delete multiple columns at once, click the first column letter, hold Shift, click the last one, then right-click and delete.
  • Deleting a column shifts all columns to the right one position left — the data does not stay in the same place.
  • Press Ctrl+Z (or Cmd+Z on Mac) when ready if you delete the wrong column by accident.
  • You can also delete a column by clicking the column letter, then using the menu: Data > Delete column.

Using the menu instead of right-clicking

If right-clicking does not work on your device or you prefer menus, you can delete a column from the top navigation. First, click the column letter to select the entire column. The column will highlight in blue.

Then click the "Data" menu at the top of the sheet. A dropdown list will appear. Click "Delete column". The column is removed the same way as the right-click method.

This route takes one extra step, but it works the same way and is useful if you are on a touchpad or tablet where right-clicking is awkward.

What happens to your data when you delete a column

When you delete a column, the data in that column is gone. Google Sheets does not move it anywhere or save it — it is removed from the sheet entirely. The columns to the right shift left to fill the empty space.

For example, if you delete column B, what was in column C becomes the new column B, what was in column D becomes the new column C, and so on. Any formulas that referenced the deleted column will show an error (usually #REF!) because the data they pointed to no longer exists.

This is why the undo function (Ctrl+Z or Cmd+Z) is important. If you realize you deleted the wrong column, undo when ready. Once you make another change to the sheet, you may not be able to undo the deletion.

Deleting columns without losing data

If you want to remove a column from view but keep the data somewhere, move it to a different sheet first. Click the column letter to select it, then right-click and choose "Move to". You can move the column to a new sheet or to an existing sheet in the same file.

Another option is to hide the column instead of deleting it. Right-click the column letter and select "Hide column". The column disappears from view, but the data stays in the file. You can unhide it later by right-clicking the columns on either side and choosing "Unhide column".

Hiding is useful when you have data you do not need to see right now but might need later. Deleting is permanent unless you undo when ready.

Deleting empty columns to clean up your sheet

Spreadsheets often end up with empty columns between data or at the end of the sheet. These do not hurt anything, but they can make the sheet harder to read. You can delete them the same way you delete any other column: click the column letter and right-click "Delete column".

If you have many empty columns, select them all at once by clicking the first empty column letter, holding Shift, and clicking the last empty column. Then right-click and delete them all together. This is faster than deleting one at a time.

When deleting a column breaks your formulas

If other columns contain formulas that reference the column you are about to delete, those formulas will break. For example, if column D has a formula that adds up column C, and you delete column C, the formula in column D will show #REF! error.

Before you delete a column, scan the sheet to see if any formulas depend on it. You can do this by clicking on cells that contain formulas and looking at the formula bar at the top — it will show you which columns the formula uses. If you see a formula that references the column you want to delete, you have two choices: rewrite the formula to use a different column, or move the column instead of deleting it.

This is less of a problem in straightforward sheets, but in larger files with many formulas, a single deleted column can break calculations across the whole sheet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I delete a column if it has data in it?

Yes. Google Sheets will delete the column and all the data in it without asking you to confirm. There is no warning. If you delete the wrong column, press Ctrl+Z (or Cmd+Z on Mac) when ready to undo.

What is the difference between deleting and hiding a column?

Deleting removes the column and its data from the file permanently (unless you undo). Hiding keeps the data in the file but removes it from view. You can unhide a hidden column later. Use hiding when you want to keep the data but do not need to see it right now.

If I delete a column, do the other columns move?

Yes. All columns to the right of the deleted column shift one position to the left. If you delete column B, column C becomes the new column B. This can break formulas that reference the old column positions.

Can I delete multiple columns at once?

Yes. Click the first column letter you want to delete, hold Shift, and click the last column letter. Then right-click and select "Delete column". All selected columns will be deleted together.

What does the #REF! error mean?

This error appears when a formula references a column or cell that no longer exists. It usually happens when you delete a column that other formulas depend on. Check the formula in the cell showing #REF! and either rewrite it to use a different column or undo the deletion.