When working with data in Excel, you may often need to move content from one place to another. Instead of copying and deleting manually, Excel provides the Cut option. This tool allows you to move data, formulas, or even entire rows and columns quickly and accurately.
In this guide, we’ll explore what Cut does, how to use it, shortcuts, examples, and important points to remember.
What is Cut in Excel?
The Cut feature in Excel lets you move selected content—whether it’s text, numbers, formulas, or objects—from one cell or range to another. Unlike Copy, which duplicates data, Cut removes it from the original location once pasted elsewhere.
Cut Keyboard shortcut: “Ctrl + X”
Paste Keyboard shortcut: “Ctrl + V”
When you cut data, Excel highlights it with a dashed moving border to indicate it’s ready to move.
Where to Find the Cut Option?
You can access Cut in multiple ways:
- Ribbon: Home tab → Clipboard group → ✂️ Cut icon
- Right-click Menu: Select cell(s) → Right-click → Cut
- Keyboard Shortcut: “Ctrl + X“
How to Use Cut in Excel?
Here’s the step-by-step method:
- Select the data you want to move.
- Use any of these methods to Cut:
- Press Ctrl + X keyboard shortcut
- Click Cut on the Home tab
- Right-click → Cut
- The data will be highlighted with a dashed border.
- Move to the new location or destination cell where you want to paste the data and press Enter, or use Ctrl + V, or click Paste under the Home tab on the Excel ribbon.
Result: Data is moved to the new location, and the original cells become empty.
Difference Between Cut and Copy
Cut (Ctrl + X): Moves data from one place to another.
Copy (Ctrl + C): Creates a duplicate, leaving the original content as is.
Things to Remember When Using Cut:
- You can cut cells, ranges, rows and columns.
- If you cut a cell that is referenced by a formula, the formula updates automatically to the new cell location.
- You cannot cut non-adjacent cells at once (Excel will show an error).
- Cut also moves the cell formatting.
- Works with text, numbers, formulas, charts and objects.
The Cut option in Excel is more than just moving data—it’s a powerful feature that helps keep your worksheet clean, organized, and efficient. Whether you’re rearranging numbers, shifting text, or moving formulas, Cut combined with Paste (and Paste Special) saves time and ensures accuracy.
Next time you need to move something in Excel, don’t delete and retype—just use Ctrl + X.