Whether you’re a spreadsheet novice or an aspiring data wizard, mastering the art of managing your data in Google Sheets is crucial. Imagine your spreadsheet as a canvas, and deleting rows and columns as the eraser that lets you refine your masterpiece.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to delete rows and columns in Google Sheets, helping you streamline your data and take control of your spreadsheets like a pro.
And guess what? You don’t need to be a spreadsheet wizard to know how to delete rows & columns in Google Sheets, as the entire process is straightforward.
Use Case/Scenario That Might Require You to delete rows And columns in Google Sheets
Let’s dive right into a relatable scenario to set the stage for our exploration.
Meet Sarah, a student using Google Sheets to track her monthly expenses. She’s just tallied up her most recent expenses, only to realize that some entries are duplicates from her previous sheet.
The clutter makes it difficult for her to analyze her spending patterns effectively.
This is where learning to delete rows and columns in Google Sheets comes to the rescue.
Read on as we show you some practical examples of deleting rows & columns in Google Sheets.
Delete rows And columns in Google Sheets using the edit menu
Deleting rows and columns in Google Sheets is as easy as pie, and the Edit menu is your trusty tool for this task.
Whether you want to trim excess data, remove duplicates, or just tidy up your sheet, this section will provide you with a comprehensive step-by-step process to delete rows and columns in Google Sheets.
Here is the sample data we will use for our example:
Step 1: Select the rows or columns
Let’s start by picking out the rows or columns we want to remove from our workbook. It’s quite simple. All we have to do is check out our data and figure out which rows or columns need to go.
Maybe you need to get rid of complete rows that have the same stuff or don’t matter, or you might find some columns that you don’t need anymore.
Just click on the row number or column letter you want to remove. Once you do that, the whole row or column will light up, showing that it’s the one you’ve chosen.
For this example, we will select cell B3 as the row we want to delete.
Step 2: Accessing the Edit Menu
Now that you’ve picked the row you want to delete, let’s move to the Edit menu. Go to the upper part of your Google Sheets window. You’ll spot a tab at the top named “Edit.” Give it a click to open up the Edit menu.
Once you’ve done that, a menu will appear. Just move your mouse over the “Delete” option in this menu. You’ll notice a smaller menu will show up right next to it.
Step 3: Deleting Rows
Once the smaller menu shows up, you’ll see different options, including values, rows, columns, and more. Since our goal is to remove rows, go ahead and click on the “Delete Row 3” option.
Once you’ve picked the row, you want to delete (Row 3), a tiny box will pop up asking if you’re sure about deleting that row. Take a second look and ensure you’ve chosen the right one, then click “Delete.”
If you follow the steps exactly as we detailed above, you’ll notice that the selected row has been successfully deleted. Now, that’s how to delete rows in Google Sheets. Easy right? We thought so too.
Here is what our spreadsheet looks like after deleting our selected row:
Looking at the picture above, you’ll notice that the cell we picked is not there anymore. That means we managed to delete it from our spreadsheet successfully.
Step 4: Deleting Columns
Now that we’ve successfully guided you through deleting rows in Google Sheets, let’s move on to the next task: removing columns in Google Sheets. Just like the steps we explained earlier, getting rid of columns in Google Sheets is simple.
To erase columns in Google Sheets, you have to start by choosing the columns you want to delete. In this example, we’ll pick all the cells in column B.
Once you’ve picked the column you want to remove, go to the Edit menu. Scroll down until you reach the bottom and find the “Delete” option. A little window will appear, showing you various choices. Among them, pick “Column B.”
If you followed the steps exactly as we showed you, you should notice that our selected columns have been successfully deleted. Now, you see how easy deleting rows in Google Sheets is?
Here is what our spreadsheet looks like after deleting our selected rows:
Step 5: Enjoy the Clean Slate
Congratulations. You’ve successfully deleted rows or columns from your Google Sheet using the Edit menu. Your spreadsheet looks cleaner and more organized, making it easier to work with your data.
Remember, Google Sheets keeps your deleted rows and columns in your trash bin for a while, just in case you change your mind. So, if you accidentally delete something important, you can always retrieve it from there. Now go ahead and confidently manage your data, shaping your spreadsheet into exactly what you need it to be.
Delete rows And columns in Google Sheets using the Right Click Option
Now that we’ve walked you through using the Edit menu to delete rows and columns in Google Sheets, let’s introduce you to another simple way to make your work even easier – the Right Click option.
If you found the steps in the Edit menu tricky, you’ll want to learn about the Right Click option. It’s a really easy way to delete rows and columns in Google Sheets.
Keep reading to learn the simple steps for removing rows and columns in Google Sheets, one at a time.
In this part, we’ll work with the sample data we used in our first example.
Let’s quickly look at how to delete rows in Google Sheets using the Right-click option:
Step 1: Choose the row or rows you’d like to delete
Start by picking the row or rows you want to eliminate from your spreadsheet. In this example, let’s choose cell B3 as the row we want to delete.
Step 2: Right-click> Delete Row
Now that we’ve chosen the row we want to remove from our spreadsheet, let’s move on to the next step. Simply right-click on the selected cell. Among the options that show up, scroll down and click on “Delete row.”
If you followed the steps just like we explained, you’ll notice that the row you chose has been deleted from our spreadsheet.
Here’s how our spreadsheet looks now:
Looking at the image above, you can see that our selected row has now been deleted.
When you compare the right-click choices to the option in the Edit menu, you’ll see that the right-click option makes everything much simpler.
Step 3: Delete columns using the right-click option
Now that we’ve guided you through removing rows in Google Sheets using the right-click method, let’s also teach you how to delete columns using the same approach.
Like before, start by picking the columns you want to delete. In this case, let’s go ahead and select all the cells in column B.
Step 4: Right Click > Delete Column
Once you’ve chosen the column you want to remove, it’s time to right-click on the selected cells. This will bring up a bunch of choices. Among those options, simply scroll down and pick the “Delete column.”
Following our step-by-step instructions, you’ll see that the column has been deleted successfully.
This is how our spreadsheet looks now:
That’s how simple it is to remove columns in Google Sheets using the right-click option.
Final Thoughts
In this guide, we’ve embarked on a journey to demystify the art of deleting rows and columns in Google Sheets.
By breaking down the process, we’ve equipped you with the skills to manage your data efficiently and streamline your spreadsheet tasks.
Whether you prefer the straightforward approach of the Edit menu or the user-friendly convenience of the right-click option, you now have multiple techniques at your disposal to tailor your sheets to perfection.
From selecting the data you wish to remove to confidently executing the deletions, you’ve gained the expertise to wield Google Sheets like a pro. Deleting rows and columns is no longer a daunting task – it’s a tool that empowers you to refine your data, declutter your spreadsheets, and make informed decisions based on accurate information.
Remember, practice makes perfect. As you continue to explore Google Sheets and experiment with these deletion methods, your confidence will grow, and you’ll become even more adept at managing your data.
So go ahead, dive into your spreadsheets, and wield the power of deletion to create organized, insightful, and impactful documents that truly work for you.