How to Remove Empty Cells in Excel

When working with data in Microsoft Excel, it is common to encounter empty cells that can be frustrating to deal with. These blank cells can cause errors in calculations and create problems when working with large data sets. Removing empty cells can make your data more organized and easier to analyze. In this blog post, we will provide simple steps to help you remove empty cells in Excel quickly and easily.

Introduction

Empty cells are common in Excel sheets, making it difficult to work with the data. They can be accidental, due to formatting, or simply because there is no information to fill the cell. In this blog post, we will show you how to easily remove empty cells in Excel.

Remove Blank Rows

Blank rows can disrupt the flow of data in Excel, making it difficult to read. Follow these simple steps to remove blank rows in Excel:

1. Select the entire worksheet by clicking the box to the left of “Column A” and above “Row 1”.
2. Click on “Go To Special” under the “Find & Select” section of the “Home” tab.
3. Select “Blanks” and click “OK”. This will select all blank rows in the worksheet.
4. Right-click on one of the selected rows and click “Delete” from the drop-down menu.
5. Select “Shift cells up” and click “OK” to delete the blank rows.

Remove Blank Columns

Empty columns take up unnecessary space and make it difficult to see the data in an Excel worksheet. You can remove them by following these steps:

1. Select the entire worksheet by clicking the box to the left of “Column A” and above “Row 1”.
2. Press “F5” or “Ctrl + G” on your keyboard to bring up the “Go To” window.
3. Select “Blanks” and click “OK”. This will select all blank columns in the worksheet.
4. Right-click on one of the selected columns and click “Delete” from the drop-down menu.
5. Select “Entire column” and click “OK” to delete the blank columns.

Remove Blank Cells

If there are empty cells within your data, you can remove them using the “Go To Special” feature in Excel. Follow these steps:

1. Select the cells where you want to remove empty cells.
2. Click on “Go To Special” under the “Find & Select” section of the “Home” tab.
3. Select “Blanks” and click “OK”. This will select all the blank cells in the selected range.
4. Right-click on one of the selected cells and click “Delete” from the drop-down menu.
5. Choose “Shift cells left” or “Shift cells up” and click “OK” to remove the blank cells.

These simple steps will help you remove blank rows, columns, and cells in your Excel sheets. By getting rid of unnecessary empty cells, your data will be more organized and easier to work with. We hope this blog post was helpful and you can now easily remove empty cells in Excel.

Filtering Empty Cells

Another way to remove empty cells in Excel is by filtering. You can use the filter to only display cells that contain data, then delete the empty cells. To filter empty cells, follow these steps:

1. Select the range where you want to filter empty cells.
2. Click on the “Data” tab, and click the “Filter” button.
3. Click the drop-down arrow in the column heading of the column you want to filter.
4. Uncheck the “Select All” checkbox under the “Filter” menu.
5. Check the box next to “Blanks”, and click “OK”.
6. Select the remaining cells by clicking on one of the cells in the selected range and then pressing “Ctrl + A”.
7. Right-click on the selected cells and click “Delete” from the drop-down menu.
8. Choose “Shift cells left” or “Shift cells up” and click “Ok” to delete the empty cells.
9. Click the “Filter” button again to remove the filter.

Using Excel Macros

If you have a large dataset with numerous empty cells, manually removing them can be time-consuming. Creating an Excel macro can save you time and effort. Here are the steps to create a macro that removes the empty cells in your dataset:

1. Select the entire range you want to remove the empty cells from.
2. Click on the “View” tab and select “Macros” from the “Macro” drop-down menu.
3. Name your macro in the “Macro Name” text box and click “Create”. This will open the Visual Basic Editor.
4. Copy and paste the following code into the editor, replacing “A1:B10” with the range you want to remove the empty cells from: Sub Remove_Blank_Cells() Dim rng As Range Dim cell As Range Set rng = Range("A1:B10") For Each cell In rng If Len(cell.Value) = 0 Then cell.Delete Shift:=xlShiftUp End If Next cell End Sub
5. Click the “Save” button and close the Visual Basic Editor.
6. Run the macro by clicking the “Macros” button in the “View” tab and selecting your macro from the list.

Empty cells can be a headache when working with data in Excel, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Removing blank rows, columns, and cells can help you keep your spreadsheet clean and organized. The tips above provide various ways to quickly and easily remove empty cells in Excel, depending on your preference and need.

FAQ

Here are answers to the frequently asked questions related to removing empty cells in Excel.

Can I remove empty cells without deleting the surrounding data?

Yes, you can remove empty cells without deleting the surrounding data. Follow the steps to remove blank cells as described in this blog post, and choose “Shift cells left” or “Shift cells up” when deleting the empty cells.

What do I select if I want to remove only the empty cells in a column?

You can select the column header and click the drop-down arrow to filter by blanks. This will only display the cells in that column that are empty, and you can then delete them manually or using one of the other methods described in this blog post.

Can I remove empty cells in a formula without deleting the formula?

Yes, you can remove empty cells from a formula by using data validation. Choose “Data Validation” from the “Data” tab and set the “Allow” parameter to “Custom”. In the formula field, enter =ISNUMBER(A1), replacing “A1” with the cell you want to validate. This will only allow numbers in that cell and exclude blank cells. You can also use the “IF” function in your formula to treat blank cells as zero.

How can I quickly remove all empty rows in Excel?

You can remove all empty rows in Excel by using the “Go To Special” feature. Select the entire worksheet and click “Go To Special”. Choose “Blanks” and click “OK”. Right-click on one of the selected rows and click “Delete”. Select “Shift cells up” and click “OK”. This will remove all empty rows in your worksheet.

Can I remove all empty cells using a shortcut?

Yes, you can use the shortcut “Alt + ;” to select all the visible non-blank cells in the worksheet, which you can then copy, cut, or manipulate as needed.