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How to quickly delete all named ranges in Excel?

Assuming you have created lots of named ranges in your workbook, but now, you needn’t theses named ranges any more, how could you remove all of the named ranges at once in Excel?

Delete all named ranges by going to the Name Manager

In the Name Manager dialog box, you can create, edit and delete the named ranges as you want. Please do as this:

1. Go to the Name Manager by clicking Formula > Name Manager, see screenshot:
doc-delete-named-ranges1

2. In the Name Manager dialog, press Shift key to select all the named ranges or hold the Ctrl key to select the ones that you don't need, see screenshot:
doc-delete-named-ranges1

3. And then click Delete button at the top of the dialog, and a prompt box will appear to remind you if you are sure to delete the names.
doc-delete-named-ranges1

4. Then click OK, all the named ranges have been deleted at once.

doc-delete-named-ranges4 -2 doc-delete-named-ranges5

Find and replace all named ranges with corresponding cell references in formulas

Kutools for Excel’s Replace Range Names utility is able to find out all formulas applying named ranges in a selected range, a specified sheet, or all sheets easily. And this utility’s primary role is to replace all named ranges with corresponding cell references in these formulas.

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Delete all named ranges with VBA code

The following short VBA code also can help you to remove all the named ranges in the workbook.

1. Hold down the ALT + F11 keys, and it opens the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window.

2. Click Insert > Module, and paste the following code in the Module Window.

VBA code: Delete all named ranges in Excel

Sub DeleteNames()
'Update 20140314
Dim xName As Name
For Each xName In Application.ActiveWorkbook.Names
    xName.Delete
Next
End Sub

3. Then press F5 key to run this code, all names in the workbook will be removed immediately.

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Comments (8)
Rated 4.5 out of 5 · 1 ratings
keenimo
keenimo
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
first if the excel extension is xls then convert it using excel to xlsx .then close excel. make a backup of your xlsx file. rename this backup extension to zip. under zip file there is a xl folder.under the xl folder there is a workbook.xml file. open it with xml notepad and delete defined names. or open it with notepad delete between <definednames> to </definednames>. and also delete this definednames parts too.then save this workbook.xml and drag drop inside zip files xl folder . then save it. and change the extension to xlsx file. open the file and press Ctrl+S. All defined names cleared with hidden ones.
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Rated 4.5 out of 5
lidwyn
lidwyn
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
You should check if it is an internal protected name range like so
```
Sub DeleteNames()
Dim xName As Name
For Each xName In Application.ActiveWorkbook.Names
If Split(xName.Name, ".")(0) <> "_xlfn" Then
xName.Delete
End If
Next
End Sub
```
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John Galaska
John Galaska     lidwyn
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
This was an improved code from the prior. I had many names for which the delete button was dimmed out, wouldn't work, nor would the prior code. Yours removed all but one. Thank you!!
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lidwyn
lidwyn     lidwyn
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site 

Sub DeleteNames()
    Dim xName As Name
    For Each xName In Application.ActiveWorkbook.Names
        If Split(xName.Name, ".")(0) <> "_xlfn" Then
            xName.Delete
        End If
    Next
End Sub
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Murali
Murali
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Run Time Error 7
out of memory
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skyyang
skyyang     Murali
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Hello, Murali
I have tested the code, it works well in my workbook.
Could you upload your workbook here, so that we can check where the problem is?

Thank you!
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Ron S
Ron S
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How about something a little more specific.

First Identify all unused named ranges, for review.

Second, macro to delete all unused named ranges.
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Brendan
Brendan
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
When I try to run the above VBA Code, I get the following error:

Run-time error '1004'
The syntax of this name isn't correct.

Verify that the name:
- Starts with a letter or underscore
- Doesn't include a space or character that isn't allowed
- Doesn't conflict with an existing name in the workbook
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