How To Delete Columns In Excel Shortcut

Need to quickly delete an excel column? You’re in luck! This article explains an easy shortcut to quickly remove columns with minimal effort. Save yourself time and frustration by learning the steps to delete columns in excel.

How to delete columns in Excel easily and quickly

Deleting columns in Excel can be easy. But it can also be a pain. Want to know how to do it quickly and easily? Here’s how!

Highlighting the columns you want to delete is the first step. Then, open the Context Menu with a right-click to get to the delete options.

By the end of this section, you will be deleting columns in Excel like a pro!

Image credits: manycoders.com by James Woodhock

Highlight the columns that you want to delete

To delete columns in Excel, first highlight those you want to delete. This helps avoid deleting the wrong data. Follow these steps:

1. Click on the first column header.
2. Hold down mouse button and drag across the adjacent column headers.
3. Selected columns should be highlighted in a different color.
4. Release mouse button when all desired columns have been highlighted.

Holding “Ctrl” key lets you select non-adjacent columns.

Highlighting selection ensures only those columns are deleted, preventing accidental deletion of valuable data.

Be cautious with deleting columns; highlighted columns are selected for deletion – once gone, so is their data.

Take advantage of Excel shortcuts! Quickly and easily highlighting cells and rows saves time.

Right-click on highlighted columns to open context menu.

Right-click on the highlighted columns to open the Context Menu

Follow these steps to delete columns in Excel:

1. Select the column(s) you want to delete.
2. Right-click on any of the selected columns.
3. A menu will appear with several options, including “Delete“.
4. Click “Delete” and a dialog box will ask if you want to delete the entire column or just its contents.

You can also use the context menu to insert or hide columns. This feature works with multiple selected columns, saving time and energy when deleting or modifying large data sets.

Pro Tip: Access the context menu by clicking “Home” in the ribbon, then right-clicking on your selection.

Deleting columns is now a breeze – use the context menu and you’re good to go!

Deleting columns made simple

Deleting columns in Excel? It’s easy! Especially for pros who regularly work with data. Here are 2 simple ways:

1. Use the context menu to select columns and delete them.
2. Confirm the action to delete the selected columns and keep your data safe.

By following these steps, you can quickly clean up and boost your productivity!

Image credits: manycoders.com by Harry Jones

Select the Delete option from the Context Menu

Text:

Highlight the required columns by clicking their letter or use Ctrl+Shift+Arrow Keys. Right-click on any of the selected column letters to bring up a list of options. Click Delete to remove the entire column or Shift cells left to remove only the contents of each cell within the column, except those in Row 1 if present.

This method is used when needing to delete multiple columns quickly. Select “Delete” from the Context Menu. Double-check your conversions before removing a column as all data in chosen columns will be lost. To delete the columns, click enter or select yes when prompted.

Confirm your action to delete the selected columns

When Excel asks to confirm your deletion of columns, don’t ignore it. It’s there to prevent accidental losses. Even experienced users should take a moment to double-check before clicking “OK”.

Don’t be tempted to delete without thinking. Once a column is gone, it’s gone for good (or until you restore a backup).

Now that you know why confirming deletions is important, let’s look at how to undo them. Reversing the deletion process is easy and can help if something goes wrong.

Reversing the deletion process

Excel users know how annoying it is when a column goes missing. But, there’s no need to worry! There are some easy ways to get it back. Undo Command (Ctrl+Z) is the first way. It takes you back to before the column was deleted. Redo Command (Ctrl+Y) can also undo an Undo. This clever trick undoes the Undo if you go too far back.

Let’s learn these time-saving Excel tricks!

Image credits: manycoders.com by James Jones

Use the Undo command (Ctrl+Z) to recover the deleted columns

Ctrl+Z is the quickest way to recover deleted columns in Excel. Just press the command or click on the “Undo” button in the Quick Access Toolbar. One can also use the Undo command to prevent any permanent data loss due to accidental deletions.

Follow these 6 steps to get back what you need:

1. Open the worksheet.
2. Press “Ctrl+Z” to undo changes since Excel was opened.
3. Press Ctrl+Z again if needed.
4. Click Undo on the Quick Access Toolbar.
5. If using Excel online, hover and select ‘Undo’. For Android or iOS app, look for left-facing arrow icon.
6. If multiple changes have been made, use Ctrl+Z until desired change appears.

The method also helps track any malicious activity. To make sure data is safe, it’s best to save it every few minutes. For large volumes of data, creating backups or saving progress regularly is recommended. To undo the undo, use the Redo command (Ctrl+Y).

Use the Redo command (Ctrl+Y) to undo the undo

Ctrl+Y is Redo command to undo the undo. Excel has a great feature that reverses the deletion process without needing to redo each step. Here’s how:

1. Step 1: Press Ctrl+Z to undo an action.
2. Step 2: Then press Ctrl+Y or click the Redo button in the Quick Access Toolbar (it looks like a circular arrow going clockwise).
3. Step 3: Keep pressing Ctrl+Y or clicking the Redo button until you recover all deleted columns.

Using Redo saves time and effort. Instead of manually recreating deleted columns, you can quickly reverse your actions with a few clicks or keystrokes. Plus, it offers more control over the editing process. If you delete something by accident you can still restore the data and keep going.

If Redo doesn’t work, check keyboard shortcuts. Also try closing and reopening Excel or restarting the computer. Saving work often is always a good idea in case something goes wrong.

Finally, mastering keyboard shortcuts is key to becoming an Excel master. In the next section, we’ll cover some of the most important shortcuts.

Mastering the keyboard shortcuts

For Excel lovers, tedious tasks can be a total drag. But, there’s a way to speed up your work – using keyboard shortcuts! Here, I’ll explain how to delete columns in Excel with two of my favorite shortcuts.

• To delete one column quickly, use (Ctrl+-).
• For deleting multiple columns, the shortcut key is (Ctrl+Shift+&).

These shortcuts will help you breeze through your Excel tasks and make your experience much smoother.

Image credits: manycoders.com by David Arnold

Use the shortcut key (Ctrl+-) to delete a column quickly

Ctrl+- is the shortcut key to quickly delete a column! This will save you effort and time if you use Excel in your daily work. No need to go through menus or right-click options.

Follow these three steps to delete a column with this shortcut:

1. Select the whole column
2. Press Ctrl+- on your keyboard together
3. Then press enter.

This shortcut is perfect when you have many columns in your spreadsheet. Instead of deleting each one, you can quickly remove them. Increase productivity and save time by mastering keyboard shortcuts and reducing clicks and keystrokes.

I have used this shortcut often while working on a project analyzing large datasets in Excel. Instead of manually deleting each column after analyzing, I could remove multiple columns at once with this shortcut. This saved me many minutes of work, so I could focus on more important aspects of the project.

Use the shortcut key (Ctrl+Shift+&) to delete multiple columns in Excel with ease

Would you like to quickly delete multiple columns in Excel? Press Ctrl+Shift+& and you’ll have it done in seconds! No need to manually drag and delete each column. Here’s how it works:

1. Select the columns you want to delete by clicking the column headers.
2. Then press Ctrl+Shift+&.
3. A dialogue box will ask if you want to shift cells left or delete entire columns – choose ‘Entire Column’ and click OK.
4. You’re done! The selected columns will be deleted instantly.

Using this keyboard shortcut can really speed up your Excel work. No more hours spent deleting individual columns. Master this tip and you’ll become an Excel pro in no time, impressing your colleagues with your quick work skills. So go ahead, give it a try and delete multiple columns using the Ctrl+Shift+& shortcut key!

FAQs about How To Delete Columns In Excel Shortcut

What is the shortcut for deleting columns in Excel?

The shortcut for deleting columns in Excel is Ctrl+-. When you press this shortcut, the currently selected column is deleted.

Can I use the shortcut to delete multiple columns at once?

Yes, you can use the shortcut to delete multiple columns at once. Simply select the columns you want to delete before pressing Ctrl+-. All the selected columns will be deleted.

What is the difference between using the shortcut and deleting columns manually?

Using the shortcut to delete columns is faster and more efficient than deleting columns manually. When you delete columns manually, you have to select the column and then click on the delete button. With the shortcut, you can delete columns with just one keystroke.

What happens to the data when I delete a column in Excel?

When you delete a column in Excel, all the data in that column is also deleted. If you want to retain the data, you should copy it to another column or worksheet before deleting the original column.

Can I undo a column deletion in Excel?

Yes, you can undo a column deletion in Excel by using the Ctrl+Z shortcut. This will restore the deleted column and its data.

Is it possible to restore a column after closing the Excel file?

No, once a column is deleted and the file is closed, there is no way to restore the deleted column. It is important to ensure that you have backed up your file or saved a copy of it before making any changes or deletions.