How to Delete Characters Inside a Cell Using the Backspace Key

The Backspace key in Excel helps you delete text one character at a time—but only when you’re in edit mode, meaning you’re actively editing the content inside a cell.

Shortcut Key

Backspace – Deletes one character to the left of the cursor

What Happens When You Press BACKSPACE?

  • Deletes one character at a time.
  • Works only inside the cell (after pressing `F2` or double-clicking the cell).
  • Useful for editing text or formulas manually.

Example:

Cell A1 contains:

2025 Sales

To remove characters:

  1. Double-click cell A1 or press `F2`
  1. Press `Backspace` → becomes `2025 Sale`
  1. Press again → becomes `2025 Sal`

   … and so on

When to Use Backspace:

  • To fix typos
  • To remove part of a formula or word
  • When you want to edit without clearing the whole cell

Important Note:

If you press Backspace while the entire cell is selected (and not in edit mode), the entire content of the cell will be deleted.


Discover more from Excellopedia

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.