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How to use shortcut to remove duplicates in Excel column or row?

Author: Sun Last Modified: 2024-10-30

In Excel, the Remove Duplicates utility can help you to remove duplicates in a column, but do you know how to use a shortcut to remove duplicates in Excel column or row?

Remove duplicates by shortcut

Remove duplicates by shortcut

Actually, there is no simple shortcut to directly remove duplicates, but if you want to only use the keyboard to remove duplicates, it also can finish the job.

1. press Ctrl + Space to select the whole column of the active cell. (Press Shift + Space to select the whole row.)
A screenshot showing how to select a column in Excel using keyboard shortcuts

2. press Alt to display the shortcuts of each tab group, and press A which indicates the Data tab, and then press M to enable the Remove Duplicates dialog. see screenshot:

A screenshot showing the Excel Ribbon with keyboard shortcuts visible after pressing Al
Arrow down
A screenshot showing the Data tab selected with Remove Duplicates option in Excel

Note: If your data contains several columns, the Remove Duplicates Warding dialog box will pop out as below screenshot shown. Please press Tab key to move the cursor on the Remove Duplicates button, and press Enter key.
A screenshot of Remove Duplicates Warning dialog

3. Then use Tab key to move the cursor on OK button in the Remove Duplicates dialog, press Enter key twice to remove the duplicates in the dialog.
A screenshot of final step to confirm removal of duplicates in Excel

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