Microsoft Excel is a widely used data entry software with a number of in-built data processing commands. But sometimes, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when trying to format things. Many users get confused about the various formatting choices and how to undo them. If you are unsure about the same, this guide is here to explain how to clear formatting in Excel using shortcuts.
How to Clear Formatting in Excel Using Shortcut
Formatting helps arrange your data neatly, making it easier to understand. But if you have overdone it or made errors, Excel has ways to remove the formatting. Explore different methods for achieving this below.
Method 1: Through the Menu
If you wish to clear format cells in Excel directly through the menu, you can follow the steps below:
1. Click on the cell/ table you wish to clear formatting.
2. In the Home Menu, click on the Eraser tool.
3. Click on the Clear Formats option.
Method 2: Using Keyboard Shortcuts
You can also use Keyboard shortcuts provided by Excel to easily clear the format in Excel. Follow the steps mentioned below:
1. Select the cell you want.
2. Click on the Alt key on your keyboard.
Note: This will open up a set of keyboard combinations, so you don’t have to use your mouse.
3. Tap on the H key to select the Home Menu.
4. Another set of keyboard combinations will pop up from which you have to type in the letter E.
5. Type the letter F to clear formatting.
To sum it all up, the commands used above are Alt + H + E + F.
Also Read: 3 Ways to Protect Cells in Excel Without Protecting Sheet
How to Remove Formatting in Excel Without Clearing Content
Microsoft Excel provides numerous ways through which you can also choose to format without having to clear your entire content, thus, saving a lot of time and effort. Below is the list of different methods on how you can achieve this:
Method 1: From Certain Cells
To effectively remove formatting from specific cells in Excel without clearing content, you can follow the steps below:
1. Select the group of cells you wish to clear formatting from.
2. In the Home menu, click on the Eraser tool.
3. Tap on the Clear Format option.
All formats on the cells will now be erased.
Method 2: Use Keyboard Shortcut
If you wish to remove certain cell formatting directly via keyboard shortcuts, here is how you can achieve this:
1. Select the group of cells you wish to remove formatting from.
2. Click on the Alt key on your keyboard to open the keyboard combinations.
3. Type in the shortcut H + E + F. All formatting on the cells will now be removed.
Method 3: From Full Dataset
You can also select the full dataset to clear certain formats by following the steps below:
1. Select all the cells in the sheet by clicking on the Arrow sign at the top left corner of the table.
2. Click on Home, select the Eraser tool, and then click on Clear Formats.
Once done, your complete table will have no formatting on it.
Also Read: How To Recover Unsaved Excel File
Method 4: From Blank Cells
Another way to remove formatting in Excel without removing contents is by using certain blank cells. Follow the steps mentioned below to know more:
1. Select the set of cells to remove formatting from. Click on Ctrl + G to open the Go To window.
2. Click on the Special option from the window.
3. Select the Blanks option from the lists.
Note: All blank cells will be selected.
4. You can clear the format now by simply following Step 2 of Method 3.
Method 5: Clearing from Specific Cells
If you wish to clear format cells in Excel directly by choosing specific cells, you can follow the steps below:
Note: For this method, we’ll be using a table where certain cells have a blue background fill. So, the steps will follow through to remove formatting from those cells.
1. In the Home menu go to the Find & Select option.
2. Click on Find and select Options.
3. Click on the Format option. A new window will open up.
4. Go to the Fill tab and select the color of the specific cells. Your chosen color will be displayed in the Preview box.
5. Click on Find All. A list of all the cells with the color chosen will appear at the bottom of the window.
6. Select all the cells from the list and complete clearing the format by following Step 2 of Method 3.
Also Read: How to Delete Named Ranges in Excel
Method 6: Conditional Formatting
For conditional formatting, simply follow the steps below:
1. Select the entire dataset by clicking on the arrow at the top left corner of the intersection between the rows and columns.
2. In the Home tab, click on the Conditional Formatting option.
3. Select the Clear Rules option.
4. Click on Clear rules from selected cells to get rid of conditional formatting.
Can You Use Keyboard Shortcuts to Clear Formatting in Word?
Yes, you can clear formatting in Word using the shortcut key. Since Word and Excel come from Microsoft, they share similar keyboard shortcuts. However, when it comes to formatting, Word has a different set of keyboard combinations to do so. The clear formatting shortcut key for Word is Ctrl + Spacebar.
Can You Use the Same Shortcuts for Excel and Google Sheets?
No, you cannot use the same shortcuts for Excel and Google Sheets. This is because although both interfaces share similar functions, their keyboard shortcuts are entirely different. There may be some shortcuts that are the same; however, they each have their own unique set of keyboard combinations to help make usage easier.
While using shortcuts saves time, it’s essential to know different methods to adjust your formatting as well. We hope this article helped you learn about Excel clear formatting shortcuts. Keep reading our blogs for such helpful guides. Feel free to leave your suggestions and queries in the comment section below!
