How to Delete a Cell in Excel

Q: What is the keyboard shortcut to delete a cell in Excel?

On Windows, press Ctrl + minus (–); on Mac, press ⌘ Command + minus (–) (older Mac versions may use Control + minus). This opens the Delete dialog so you can choose to shift cells left, up, or delete the entire row or column. The plain Delete key does not do this — it only clears contents.

Q: Can I undo a cell deletion in Excel?

Yes — press Ctrl + Z (Windows) or ⌘ + Z (Mac) right after the deletion to undo it. This may not work if you’ve closed and reopened the workbook without saving since the deletion, so it’s wise to back up your file before large deletions.

To delete a cell in Excel, select it, go to Home → Delete → Delete Cells (or press Ctrl + minus on Windows), then choose whether to shift the surrounding cells up or left. This removes the cell entirely and moves neighbors into the gap — which is different from simply clearing a cell’s contents with the Delete key, which leaves the empty cell in place.

Knowing which action you actually need matters, because deleting cells physically rearranges your data and can break formulas that reference the moved cells. This guide walks through every method, the Delete dialog options, the difference between deleting and clearing, and how to delete whole rows and columns — for both Windows and Mac.

Delete a Cell vs. Clear Contents — the Key Difference

This is the single most important distinction in this article, and it trips up most users:

Deleting a cell physically removes the cell and shifts the remaining cells up or left to fill the gap. The grid rearranges. Use Home → Delete → Delete Cells, or Ctrl + minus (Windows).
Clearing contents empties the cell — it removes the value or formula but the cell stays exactly where it is, and nothing shifts. Use the Delete key on your keyboard, or Home → Clear → Clear Contents.

In short: if you press the Delete (or Del) key on your keyboard, you are clearing the contents — not deleting the cell. To truly delete the cell so other cells shift over, you need the Delete Cells command or the Ctrl + minus shortcut. Mixing these two up is the most common reason data ends up misaligned.

Method 1: Using the ‘Delete’ Command

The first way to delete a cell is using the ‘delete’ command on the Home ribbon. This method is useful when you want to remove a single cell or a range of cells without affecting the surrounding data.

Step 1: Select the cell(s) to be deleted

Click on the cell you want to delete to highlight it. If you want to delete a row or column, select the entire row or column by clicking on its header.

Step 2: Go to the Delete Command

On the Home tab, locate the Editing Group, and click on the ‘Delete’ command. You will see a dropdown with various options.

Step 3: Choose Delete Cells

In the dropdown menu, select ‘Delete Cells’ to remove the selected cell(s). A dialogue box will appear asking you how to shift the cells. Choose whether to ‘Shift cells up,’ ‘Shift cells left,’ ‘Shift cells down,’ or ‘Shift cells right,’ depending on your formatting preference.

Method 2: Using Right-Click to Delete

The second way to delete cells in Excel is by using the right-click shortcut menu. This method is useful when you want to quickly delete a cell, row, or column without using the ribbon.

Step 1: Select the Cell

Right-click on the cell you want to delete to reveal a context menu.

Step 2: Click on ‘Delete’

In the dropdown menu, click on ‘Delete’ to open the Delete dialog box.

Step 3: Choose Shift Direction

Select your desired shift direction and click ‘OK’ to delete the selected cell(s).

Method 3: Using the Keyboard Shortcut

The third way to delete a cell in Excel is by using a keyboard shortcut. This is the fastest method once you know it, and it works the same in modern desktop versions.

Step 1: Select the Cell(s)

Select the cell(s) you want to delete.

Step 2: Press the Delete-Cells Shortcut

On Windows, press Ctrl + minus (–). On Mac, press ⌘ Command + minus (–) (older Mac builds may instead use Control + minus). The Delete dialog box will appear. Choose whether to “Shift cells up,” “Shift cells left,” “Shift cells down,” or “Shift cells right,” depending on your needs.

Note: this is not the same as pressing the plain Delete key. The plain Delete key only clears the contents (see the section above) — the Ctrl/⌘ + minus shortcut is what actually removes the cell and shifts the rest.

Understanding the Delete Dialog Options

When you delete a cell (rather than clear it), Excel asks how to fill the gap. The dialog gives you four choices:

Shift cells left — cells to the right of the deleted cell move left to close the gap. Best when you’re working across a row.
Shift cells up — cells below the deleted cell move up to close the gap. Best when you’re working down a column.
Entire row — deletes the whole row the cell sits in, and rows below shift up.
Entire column — deletes the whole column the cell sits in, and columns to the right shift left.

Choose the direction that matches how your data is laid out. If your records run in rows, shifting up keeps each record intact; if they run in columns, shifting left does the same. For a deeper look at how the grid rearranges, see our guide on how to shift cells in Excel.

How to Delete Entire Rows and Columns

Deleting a whole row or column is often cleaner than deleting individual cells, because it never leaves your data misaligned.

Click the row number on the left edge (or the column letter at the top) to select the entire row or column. You can Ctrl-click (⌘-click on Mac) to select several at once.
Right-click the selected header and choose Delete — or press Ctrl + minus (Windows) / ⌘ + minus (Mac).

Because you selected the full row or column header, Excel deletes it immediately without asking which way to shift. Rows below move up; columns to the right move left. For the reverse operations, see how to insert rows in Excel and how to insert a column in Excel. To remove a single row by content, our delete a row in Excel guide goes step by step.

Clearing: Contents vs. Formats vs. All

When you clear a cell instead of deleting it, Excel gives you finer control through Home → Clear (the eraser icon in the Editing group):

Clear Contents — removes the values and formulas but keeps formatting (colors, borders, number format). Same as pressing the Delete key.
Clear Formats — removes only the formatting and leaves the values in place. Useful when a cell has unwanted fill, borders, or a stubborn number format. See how to clear formatting in Excel for details.
Clear All — wipes both contents and formatting, returning the cell to a blank default state.
Clear Comments / Hyperlinks — targets just those elements without touching the value.

None of these clear options shift any cells — the cell stays exactly where it is.

Why Deleting Cells Can Break Formulas (#REF! Errors)

This is the most important caution in this article. When you delete a cell, row, or column that a formula points to, that reference no longer exists — so Excel replaces it with a #REF! error, meaning “invalid reference.”

For example, if =A1+A2 exists and you delete the cell A1 with a shift, the formula can become =#REF!+A2. The calculation breaks until you fix the reference. Clearing a cell’s contents does not cause this — because the cell still exists, the formula simply treats it as empty (often as zero).

Before deleting cells that other formulas might rely on, it’s worth checking what depends on them. If you do hit one, our guide on how to fix a #REF! error in Excel explains how to track down and repair the broken reference.

Things to Consider Before Deleting Cells in Excel

Before deleting cells, it’s important to consider the impact on your spreadsheet. Deleting cells affects any formulas, charts or graphs that rely on the deleted data. Additionally, the delete function removes any cell formatting such as borders or fill color. Be sure to double-check the data to ensure that you’re only deleting the intended data and not critical information needed in other parts of the workbook.

If your goal is to clean up a dataset rather than remove specific cells, you may want a more targeted approach — see how to delete blank rows in Excel, how to remove empty cells in Excel, or how to remove duplicate rows in Excel.

How to Recover Deleted Cells and Data in Excel

Just like any other deletion action, deleting cells in Excel is permanent. If you accidentally delete data or want to recover the deleted cells, you may be able to undo your actions by using the ‘Undo’ command (CTRL + Z on Windows, Command + Z on Mac). This command may not be available if you closed and reopened the workbook without saving it since the deletion.

If all else fails and you don’t have a backup spreadsheet, you may need to use third-party recovery software tools to recover the lost data. The safest habit is to save a copy of your workbook before any large deletion.

Windows vs. Mac: Quick Reference

The commands are nearly identical across platforms, with one difference in the delete shortcut:

Delete a cell (shift others): Windows Ctrl + minus · Mac ⌘ Command + minus (some older builds use Control + minus). Both open the shift-direction dialog.
Clear contents (keep the cell): the Delete / Del key on both platforms.
Undo a mistaken deletion: Windows Ctrl + Z · Mac ⌘ + Z.
Ribbon path (identical on both): Home → Delete → Delete Cells, and Home → Clear for clearing.

For more time-savers, see our roundup of the best Excel keyboard shortcuts.

The Bottom Line

Knowing how to delete a cell in Excel is an essential skill that will help you manage your data and maintain the accuracy of your worksheets. The core thing to remember: the Delete key clears contents (the cell stays), while Delete Cells / Ctrl + minus removes the cell and shifts the rest. Choose the right one, watch out for #REF! errors in dependent formulas, and back up your workbook before any large deletion.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between deleting a cell and clearing its contents?

Deleting a cell removes it entirely and shifts the surrounding cells up or left to fill the gap (Home → Delete → Delete Cells, or Ctrl/⌘ + minus). Clearing contents empties the cell but leaves it in place and shifts nothing — that’s what the plain Delete key does. Use delete to rearrange the grid; use clear to just wipe a value.

What is the keyboard shortcut to delete a cell in Excel?

On Windows, press Ctrl + minus (–); on Mac, press ⌘ Command + minus (–) (older Mac versions may use Control + minus). This opens the Delete dialog so you can choose to shift cells left, up, or delete the entire row or column. The plain Delete key does not do this — it only clears contents.

How do I delete an entire row or column?

Click the row number or column letter to select the whole row or column, then right-click the header and choose Delete, or press Ctrl + minus (Windows) / ⌘ + minus (Mac). Because you selected a full row or column, Excel deletes it without asking which direction to shift.

Why do I get a #REF! error after deleting cells?

A #REF! error appears when a formula points to a cell that you deleted. Because the referenced cell no longer exists, Excel can’t resolve the reference and shows #REF!. Clearing a cell’s contents does not cause this, since the cell still exists. See our fix a #REF! error guide to repair the broken formula.

What happens to my formatting when I delete cells in Excel?

Deleting cells removes their formatting and any data validation rules along with the values. If you want to keep neighboring formatting, pick a shift direction carefully, or use Clear Formats instead to remove only the formatting while keeping your data — see how to clear formatting in Excel.

Can I undo a cell deletion in Excel?

Yes — press Ctrl + Z (Windows) or ⌘ + Z (Mac) right after the deletion to undo it. This may not work if you’ve closed and reopened the workbook without saving since the deletion, so it’s wise to back up your file before large deletions.