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How to use shortcut keys to insert or delete row/column/tab in Excel?

Author: Sun Last Modified: 2024-08-21

In daily Excel working, to insert or delete a row or a column or a sheet tab is usually used. But actually, you can easily use shortcut keys to quickly insert or delete row/column/tab as you need in Excel.

Shortcuts to insert or delete row/column

Shortcuts to insert or delete worksheet

Shortcuts to delete cell contents


Shortcuts to insert or delete row/column

To insert row or column by shortcut keys

Select an entire row/column that you want to add a row/column above or left of it, and then press Ctrl + + keys, then a new blank row/column added above/left of your selected row/column.

a screenshot showing the shortcut keys Ctrl and + on the keyboard

If your keyboard has no Keypad, you can press Shift + Ctrl + + keys to insert rows or columns.

a screenshot showing the shortcut keys Shift + Ctrl and + on the keyboard

Tip: If you want to add several rows/columns at once time, for example, insert five rows/columns,, select entire five rows/columns by clicking Ctrl key first, then press Ctrl + + keys or Shift + Ctrl + + keys, then new blank five rows/columns are inserted.

To delete row or column by shortcut keys

Select the entire row/column you want to delete, if you want to delete several rows/columns at once time, press Ctrl key to select them, then press Ctrl + - keys delete.

a screenshot showing the shortcut keys Ctrl and - on the keyboard


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Shortcuts to insert or delete worksheet

To insert a new blank worksheet tab

Hold Shift key then press F11 key, then a new blank worksheet is inserted in the front of the active worksheet.

a screenshot showing the shortcut keys Shift and F11 on the keyboard

To delete worksheet tab

In Excel 2003, you can select the worksheet tabs you want to delete (if you want to delete multiple worksheets in a workbook, hold the Ctrl key and select them one by oney), then press ALT + E + L keys to delete them.

a screenshot showing the shortcut keys ALT and E and L on the keyboard

In Excel 2007/2010, you can select worksheet tabs you want to delete (if you want to delete multiple worksheets in a workbook, hold the key and select them one by one), and press ALT + H + D + S keys.

Note: Please hold the Alt key, and then press the H key, D key, and S key one by one.

a screenshot showing the shortcut keys ALT and H and D and S on the keyboard


Shortcuts to delete cell contents

To delete cell contents, you just need to select the cells you want to delete, and then press Delete key on the keyboard.

a screenshot showing the shortcut keys Delete on the keyboard


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