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How can I delete multiple rows in Excel? If I mark everything and try to delete, it just deletes a single row. Even if I right-click and select delete, it still deletes one row at a time.

I need to delete all rows separately selected with Ctrl in one go.

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  • 1
    Which version of Excel are you using? The way you describe works for me in Excel2007. Nov 15, 2012 at 20:03

4 Answers 4

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Select the rows you want to delete and hit Ctrl+- (minus). If you select the whole row, you will not be prompted, if you only select some cells you will be prompted what you want to do exactly.

Edit: btw. Ctrl++ inserts rows.

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  • I did this and it sent my Excel into non-responding. I don't think this is a very efficient method to delete 22000 rows. copy and paste method works fine on 500,000 rows. not sure why deleting should send my PC to neverland.
    – hamish
    Jul 6, 2021 at 4:37
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If the data is in the form of an official 'table' you won't be able to select different selections of multiple rows to delete in one go. You have to copy and paste the data into an empty worksheet (without the 'table' formatting) and you should be able to do what you describe.

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  • this works more efficiently than ctrl+- I will use this method always.
    – hamish
    Jul 6, 2021 at 4:38
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I tried the suggestion of using Ctrl and drag to select multiple cells. Del (not Backspace) works to delete the contents all at once for me.

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Using Ctrl to select, then right click to delete entire rows works. But, maybe it is not that obvious that it works. Try to right click and delete contents first, then delete the rows.

Have you tried this on a new workbook? Maybe, the workbook you are working on has some additional functionality, which prevents the default behavior. But be ensured, usually it should work the way you tried.

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