Ctrl + – in Excel: Delete Rows and Columns

Have you ever needed to remove a row or column from an Excel worksheet quickly?

You can use the Ctrl + – keyboard shortcut to delete rows, columns, or cells without using the ribbon.

Let’s see how it works.

Keyboard Shortcut to Delete Rows and Columns in Excel:

The keyboard shortcut to delete rows, columns, or cells in Excel for Windows is:

Ctrl + –

Press and hold the Ctrl key, then press the minus (-) key.

You can use either of these keys to enter the minus sign (-):

• Main keyboard: The minus (-) key on the main keyboard, usually beside the 0 key on the top number row.
• Numeric keypad: The minus (-) key on the numeric keypad on the right side of your keyboard, if available.

How to Delete a Row Using Ctrl + -?

Suppose you have an employee list and want to delete row 3.

Follow these steps:

1. Select any cell in row 3.

2. Press Shift + Space to select the entire row.

3. Press Ctrl + -.

Excel deletes row 3, and the rows below it move up.

You can now continue working with the updated worksheet.

Tip: Select the entire row before using the shortcut to delete it directly. If you select only a cell, Excel opens the Delete dialog, where you can choose what to delete.

For more details, read our guide on How to Add and Delete Rows in an Excel Worksheet.

How to Delete a Column Using Ctrl + -?

Suppose your worksheet contains Employee, Department, Region, and Sales columns. You no longer need the Region column.

Follow these steps:

1. Select any cell in the Region column.

2. Press Ctrl + Space to select the entire column.

3. Press Ctrl + -.

Excel deletes the selected column, and the columns to its right move left.

For more details, read our guide on How to Add and Delete Columns in Excel.

How to Delete Multiple Rows or Columns at Once?

You don’t need to delete rows or columns one at a time. You can remove several at once using the same shortcut.

Delete multiple rows:

1. Select the rows you want to delete by dragging across their row numbers.

2. Press Ctrl + -.

Excel deletes all the selected rows.

For example, if you select rows 3, 4, and 5, Excel deletes all three rows.

Delete multiple columns:

1. Select the columns you want to delete by dragging across their column letters.

2. Press Ctrl + -.

Excel deletes all the selected columns.

For example, if you select columns C and D, Excel removes both columns.

What Happens When You Select Individual Cells?

If you select individual cells instead of entire rows or columns, pressing Ctrl + – opens the Delete dialog.

Excel asks how you want to remove the selected cells.

You can choose one of these options:

• Shift cells left: Deletes the selected cells and moves the remaining cells to the left.
• Shift cells up: Deletes the selected cells and moves the remaining cells up.
• Entire row: Deletes the complete worksheet row.
• Entire column: Deletes the complete worksheet column.

Choose the option you need and click OK.

What If You Delete a Row or Column by Mistake?

Don’t worry if you accidentally delete something.

Press Ctrl + Z immediately to undo the deletion and restore the deleted row, column, or cells.

However, if you’ve made other changes since deleting the data, check your worksheet carefully before undoing multiple actions.

Important Things to Remember:

• Ctrl + – opens the Delete dialog or deletes the selected rows or columns directly, depending on your selection.
• Select an entire row before using the shortcut to delete that row directly.
• Select an entire column before using the shortcut to delete that column directly.
• To delete multiple rows or columns, select them all before pressing the shortcut.
• Deleting a row or column removes its contents from the worksheet. It is different from hiding a row or column.
• Use Ctrl + Z to undo a deletion immediately.

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. What is the shortcut to delete a row in Excel?

Press Ctrl + – after selecting the row you want to delete. You can select an entire row using Shift + Space.

2. What is the shortcut to delete a column in Excel?

Press Ctrl + – after selecting the column you want to delete. You can select an entire column using Ctrl + Space.

3. Can I delete multiple rows using a keyboard shortcut?

Yes. Select the rows you want to remove and press Ctrl + -. Excel deletes all the selected rows.

4. What is the difference between deleting and hiding a row?

Deleting a row removes it from the worksheet, including its contents. Hiding a row only removes it from view. You can unhide it later to display the existing data again.

5. How can I undo a row or column deletion?

Press Ctrl + Z immediately after the deletion to undo the action.

Final Thoughts:

The Ctrl + – shortcut helps you delete rows, columns, or cells without opening the ribbon.

Select an entire row or column to delete it directly. If you select individual cells, Excel opens the Delete dialog so you can choose how to remove them.

For more useful shortcuts, visit our Excel Keyboard Shortcuts page.