How to delete multiple empty columns quickly in Excel?
Sometimes when you import data to Microsoft Excel from some source, such as web page, CSV, text, etc., there may be many empty columns with it. It must be time-consuming to delete each empty column one by one. Therefore, some of us search for easy ways to solve this problem. This article collects some tricky tips to help you delete multiple empty columns quickly.
Delete multiple empty columns in worksheet with formula
Delete multiple empty columns in worksheet with VBA code
Delete multiple empty columns in selection / active sheet / whole workbook with a useful feature
Delete multiple empty columns with a header by using VBA code
Delete multiple empty columns in worksheet with formula
In Excel, you can apply a formula to indentify if the columns are blank or not, and then use the Sort feature to sort all blank columns together, and then delete them at once. Please do as this:
1. Add a new row at the top of your data range, see screenshot:
2. Then enter the below formula into cell A1, and then drag the fill handle to right side to apply this formula to other cells, a TRUE will be displayed if the column is blank, otherwise, a FALSE is displayed, see screenshot:
3. Then select the data range including the helper row, and then click Data > Sort, see screenshot:
4. In the popped out Sort dialog box, click Options button, in the following Sort Options dialog, select Sort left to right option, see screenshots:
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5. Click OK button to return the Sort dialog, then select Row 1 from the Sort by drop down, and select Cell Values from Sort On section, choose Largest to Smallest from the Order section, see screenshot:
6. Then, all empty columns have been sorted at the left of your data, and now, you just need to select all columns and then right click, choose Delete to delete these blank columns at once, see screenshot:
Delete multiple empty columns in worksheet with VBA code
If you'd like to use VBA macro, things goes much easier. The following VBA code may help you, please do as this:
1. Hold down the Alt + F11 keys in Excel, and it opens the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window.
2. Click Insert > Module, and paste the following macro in the Module Window.
VBA code: Delete multiple blank columns in selection:
Sub DeleteEmptyColumns()
'Updateby Extendoffice
Dim rng As Range
Dim InputRng As Range
xTitleId = "KutoolsforExcel"
Set InputRng = Application.Selection
Set InputRng = Application.InputBox("Range :", xTitleId, InputRng.Address, Type:=8)
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
For i = InputRng.Columns.Count To 1 Step -1
Set rng = InputRng.Cells(1, i).EntireColumn
If Application.WorksheetFunction.CountA(rng) = 0 Then
rng.Delete
End If
Next
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub
3. Press the F5 key to run this macro, select the work range you need in the pop out dialog. See screenshot:
4. Click OK, then all empty columns in the selection are removed. See screenshot:
Delete multiple empty columns in selection / active sheet / whole workbook with a useful feature
The Delete Hidden (Visible) Rows & Columns utility of Kutools for Excel can help you quickly remove multiple empty rows or columns at once.
After installing Kutools for Excel, please do as this:
1. Click Kutools > Delete > Delete Hidden (Visible) Rows & Columns, see screenshot:
2. In the Delete Hidden (Visible) Rows & Columns dialog box, specify the scope that you want to apply the operation from Look in drop down list. (If you choose In Selected Range, you must select a range that you want to use first.) And then check Columns under Delete type. And select Blank columns from Detailed type. See screenshot:
3. Then click OK. And the blank columns have been deleted from the selected range. See screenshot:
Delete multiple empty columns with a header by using VBA code
Sometimes, you may want to delete all the empty columns which contain only a header in the worksheet, the following VBA code can do you a favor, please do with the following steps:
1. Hold down the Alt + F11 keys in Excel, and it opens the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window.
2. Click Insert > Module, and paste the following macro in the Module Window.
VBA code: Delete all empty columns with a header
Sub deleteblankcolwithheader()
'updateby Extendoffice
Dim xEndCol As Long
Dim I As Long
Dim xDel As Boolean
On Error Resume Next
xEndCol = Cells.Find("*", SearchOrder:=xlByColumns, SearchDirection:=xlPrevious).Column
If xEndCol = 0 Then
MsgBox "There is no data on """ & ActiveSheet.Name & """ .", vbExclamation, "Kutools for Excel"
Exit Sub
End If
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
For I = xEndCol To 1 Step -1
If Application.WorksheetFunction.CountA(Columns(I)) <= 1 Then
Columns(I).Delete
xDel = True
End If
Next
If xDel Then
MsgBox "All blank column(s) with only a header row have been deleted.", vbInformation, "Kutools for Excel"
Else
MsgBox "There are no Columns to delete as each one has more data (rows) than just a header.", vbExclamation, "Kutools for Excel"
End If
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub
3. Then press F5 key to run this code, and a prompt box will pop out to remind you the blank columns with header will be deleted, see screenshot:
4. And then, click OK button, all the blank columns with only header in current worksheet are deleted at once. See screenshots:
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More relative articles:
- Delete All Hidden Rows Or Columns In Excel
- If you have a large workbook with a lot of hidden rows and columns, and now the hidden data are unavailable, you would like to delete all of them. How could you quickly delete them?
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- If you want to delete all pictures from Microsoft Excel, it may be time-consuming to select each picture and delete them one by one. The following tricks may ease your work to delete all pictures.
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- Delete All Rows Containing Specific Text Within A Column In Google Sheets
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