How to Remove Blank Rows in Excel: 5 Easy Methods

Blank rows within your Excel spreadsheets can be more than just an eyesore; they can actively disrupt data analysis, hinder sorting and filtering capabilities, and even introduce errors into your carefully crafted formulas. These pesky rows often creep in during data exports from databases, or when you’re merging multiple datasets.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a universal, one-click solution to banish them all. The most effective approach is really dependent on the structure and nature of your data. This guide will walk you through several proven methods to delete empty rows in Excel, ensuring your spreadsheets remain clean, efficient, and error-free. Let’s explore the best strategies to remove blank rows in Excel and streamline your data.

Method 1: Manually Deleting Individual Blank Rows

Best Used When:

This manual method is ideal for smaller datasets or when you are only faced with removing a few isolated blank rows. It’s quick and straightforward for those minor clean-up tasks.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Select the Row: To select a blank row, simply click on the row number located to the left of the spreadsheet. This highlights the entire row.
2. Selecting Multiple Rows:
   • Adjacent Rows: For consecutive blank rows, click on the first row number, then click and drag your mouse down to select all the rows you want to remove.
   • Non-Adjacent Rows: If the blank rows are scattered, click the first row number, then press and hold down the Ctrl key (Cmd key on Mac) while clicking on each additional row number you wish to select.
3. Remove the Blank Rows: Once you have selected your blank row(s), right-click on any of the selected row numbers. A context menu will appear. Choose “Delete” from this menu to instantly remove the blank row(s).

Method 2: Filtering to Find and Remove Blank Rows

Best Used When:

This method shines when dealing with larger datasets that contain blank rows scattered throughout. Filtering helps you isolate and remove these blanks efficiently.

❗ This method is most effective when the blank rows are consistently blank in a specific column, or ideally, when the entire row is truly empty. Remember, if your data changes or you apply new filters, you’ll need to reset the filter and repeat these steps.

Step-by-Step Guide:

• Select Your Entire Dataset: Begin by selecting all the data in your spreadsheet. The quickest way to do this is to click the small triangle at the very top-left corner of your sheet, above row 1 and to the left of column A. This selects all cells.

• Apply the Filter Feature: Navigate to the “Data” tab on the Excel ribbon. In the “Sort & Filter” group, click on the “Filter” button. This will add dropdown arrows to the header of each column in your dataset.

• Filter for Blank Rows: Click the filter arrow in the column where you expect blank entries (ideally a column that should be populated in every row). In the dropdown menu, uncheck “Select All” to deselect all values. Then, scroll down to the bottom of the list and check the box next to ‘Blanks’. Click ‘OK’. This will filter your sheet to display only the rows that are blank in the chosen column.

• Select the Visible Blank Rows: Now that only the blank rows are visible, you need to select them for deletion. Click on the row number of the very first visible blank row. Then, press and hold Ctrl + Shift + End (Cmd + Shift + End on Mac). This shortcut extends your selection to include all visible rows from your starting point to the end of the data.

• Delete the Selected Blank Rows: With the blank rows selected, right-click on any of the selected row numbers. From the context menu, choose “Delete Row“.

• Confirm the Deletion: Excel will display a confirmation dialog box asking “Delete entire sheet row?”. Click “OK” to proceed with deleting the rows.

• Clear the Filter: After deleting the blank rows, it’s important to clear the filter to see your entire dataset again. Go back to the “Data” tab and in the “Sort & Filter” group, click the “Clear” button. This will remove the filter and display all your data, now without the blank rows you just deleted.

💡 To further enhance your Excel filtering skills, explore advanced filtering techniques in this detailed guide on how to use Advanced Filter in Excel.

Method 3: Utilizing Find & Select – Go To Special

Best Used When:

This method is also effective for large datasets containing scattered blank rows. However, it’s crucial to use it only when you are certain that entire rows are blank.

❗ Exercise caution: Do not use this method if you have rows where only some cells are blank, such as in this example:

Using “Go To Special” in such cases might lead to accidentally deleting rows that contain valuable data in some columns. For datasets with partially blank rows, methods 4 or 5 are more suitable.

Step-by-Step Guide:

• Open Go To Special: Go to the “Home” tab on the Excel ribbon. In the “Editing” group, click on “Find & Select,” and from the dropdown menu, choose “Go To Special…”

• Select Blanks: In the “Go To Special” dialog box, select the “Blanks” option. Click “OK”. This will select all completely blank cells within your currently selected range (or the entire sheet if no range is selected). Crucially, it selects blank cells, and if those blank cells are in entirely blank rows, the whole rows become effectively selected for our next step.

• Remove Blank Rows: With the blank cells (and effectively, blank rows) selected, go back to the “Home” tab. In the “Editing” group, click on “Delete,” and choose “Delete Sheet Rows” from the dropdown options. This will remove all the rows where completely blank cells were selected.

Method 4: Leveraging the COUNTA Function

Best Used When:

Opt for this method when you’re working with a large dataset and need a foolproof way to ensure that you do not accidentally remove rows containing data.

The COUNTA formula is invaluable here as it precisely identifies rows that are completely empty. This makes it a very reliable method for cleaning large datasets without risking data loss.

Step-by-Step Guide:

• Insert a Helper Column: Add a new, temporary column to the far right of your data. This column will house our COUNTA formulas.

• Enter the COUNTA Formula: In the very first cell of your newly added helper column (in the same row as your data’s first row), type in the formula =COUNTA(. Then, carefully highlight all the cells in that same row that contain your data (excluding the helper column itself). Finish the formula by typing ). For example, if your data spans columns A to D and starts from row 2, the formula in cell E2 would look like this: =COUNTA(A2:D2).

=COUNTA(A2:D2)

• Apply the Formula to All Rows: To apply this formula to all rows of your dataset, select the cell containing the formula (e.g., E2). Locate the small square “fill handle” at the bottom-right corner of the selected cell. Double-click on this fill handle. This will automatically copy the formula down to all the rows adjacent to your data. Alternatively, you can drag the fill handle down to cover all rows.

• Select All Data and Apply Filter: Similar to Method 2, select your entire dataset (using the top-left corner triangle), and then go to the “Data” tab and click “Filter” to add filter dropdowns to your headers.

• Filter for Zero Values in Helper Column: Click the filter arrow in your helper column (the one containing the COUNTA formulas). In the filter dropdown, uncheck ‘Select All’, and then check only the option to filter rows where the value is ‘0’. Click ‘OK’. This will display only the rows that the COUNTA function identified as completely blank (returning a count of 0).

• Delete the Filtered Empty Rows: Now, select all the visible rows (which are the blank rows identified by the COUNTA function). Right-click on any of the selected row numbers, and choose “Delete Row“.

• Clear the Filter and Remove Helper Column: After deleting, clear the filter from the helper column by going to the “Data” tab and clicking “Clear”. Finally, since the helper column has served its purpose, you can now delete this entire column by right-clicking on its column letter (e.g., ‘E’) and choosing “Delete”. Your original dataset is now clean, with all completely blank rows removed.

Method 5: Automating with an Excel VBA Macro

Best Used When:

Choose this method for very large datasets or when you need to perform this blank row removal task repeatedly. VBA macros automate the process, significantly reducing manual effort and the chance of errors in repetitive cleaning tasks.

How It Works:

The VBA macro provided below is designed to delete a row only if it is entirely blank. It works by using the same COUNTA function we used in Method 4, but automates the process for every row in your used range. The macro loops through each row from bottom to top. For each row, it uses COUNTA to count non-empty cells. If the count is zero (meaning the row is completely blank), the macro deletes that row. The loop runs from bottom to top to avoid issues caused by row shifting during deletion.

Step-by-Step Guide:

• Open the VBA Editor: Press Alt + F11 on your keyboard. This will open the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) editor.

• Insert a New Module: In the VBA editor window, look for the “Insert” menu at the top. Click on “Insert” and then select “Module“. This will insert a new module where you will write your VBA code.

• Paste the VBA Code: Copy the following VBA code and paste it directly into the module window that you just created.

Sub RemoveBlankRows_XelPlus()
    Dim Rng As Range
    Dim i As Long

    Set Rng = ActiveSheet.UsedRange

    For i = Rng.Rows.Count To 1 Step -1
        If Application.WorksheetFunction.CountA(Rng.Rows(i)) = 0 Then
            Rng.Rows(i).EntireRow.Delete
        End If
    Next i
End Sub

• Close the VBA Editor: Once you’ve pasted the code, you can close the VBA editor. Simply click the ‘X’ in the top right corner of the VBA editor window or press Alt + Q.

• Run the Macro: Go back to your Excel worksheet. To run the macro, press Alt + F8. This will open the “Macro” dialog box. In the list of macros, select ‘RemoveBlankRows_XelPlus’ and click ‘Run‘. The macro will execute and automatically delete all completely blank rows from your active worksheet.

Keeping your Excel sheets clean from blank rows is crucial for efficient data analysis and accurate reporting. Choose the method that best fits your data size and cleaning frequency to maintain organized and functional spreadsheets!

Download the Practice Workbook

To solidify your learning and practice these techniques hands-on, download our practice workbook. It includes examples to help you master deleting empty rows in Excel.

Download the workbook here and start applying these methods directly in Excel.

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Published on: May 17, 2024

Last modified: December 17, 2024

Category: Excel,Formulas

Tagged as: delete empty rows, remove blank rows

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Leila Gharani

With over two decades of experience, I specialize in helping businesses harness the power of data to drive better outcomes. My background includes roles as an economist and consultant, along with 12 years in corporate management within finance, operations, and IT, where I managed significant SAP and Oracle projects.

As a seven-time Microsoft MVP, I possess a deep understanding of tools like Excel and Power BI. My passion lies in demystifying complex tech topics, making them accessible and empowering others to achieve self-sufficiency. I am committed to continuous learning and dedicated to finding innovative ways to support your success.

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