How to remove blank cells in Excel

Are you tired of dealing with empty cells cluttering your Excel sheets? Whether you’re organizing data or preparing reports, blank cells can be a nuisance. Fortunately, Excel offers several methods to quickly and effortlessly remove these blank cells, saving you time and streamlining your workflow. In this step-by-step guide, we’ll explore three effective methods to tidy up your Excel sheets by removing blank cells.

Method 1: Filter and Delete

One of the simplest ways to remove blank cells in Excel is by using the Filter feature combined with the Delete functionality. Follow these steps:

• Select Your Data Range: Click on any cell within the range of data that you want to clean up.
• Apply Filter: Navigate to the “Data” tab on the Excel ribbon. Click on the “Filter” button. This action will add filter arrows to the headers of your selected data range.
• Filter Blank Cells: Click on the filter arrow in the column containing the blank cells you want to remove. In the dropdown menu, uncheck the box next to “Select All” and then check the box next to “Blanks.” Click “OK” to apply the filter.
• Delete Blank Cells: With the blank cells filtered, select all the visible cells (excluding the blank ones). You can do this by clicking the filter arrow again and choosing “Select All.” Then, hold down the “Ctrl” key and click on the checkboxes next to the non-blank values. Once selected, right-click on any selected cell and choose “Delete Row” from the context menu.
• Remove Filter: Finally, remove the filter by clicking on the filter arrow again and selecting “Clear Filter From [Column Name].” This step will reveal your cleaned-up data without the blank cells.

Method 2: Excel Formulas

Another effective method to remove blank cells involves using Excel formulas to filter out the blanks. Follow these steps:

1. Insert Helper Column: Insert a new column next to your data where you want to remove blank cells.
2. Enter Formula: In the first cell of the helper column, enter a formula that checks if the corresponding cell in your data range is blank. For example, if your data starts from cell A2, enter the formula =ISBLANK(A2) in the first cell of the helper column.
3. Fill Down: Fill the formula down the entire helper column to cover all rows of your data range. You can do this by double-clicking the fill handle (small square at the bottom-right corner of the cell) or by dragging it down.
4. Filter: Click on the filter arrow in the helper column and uncheck the box next to “TRUE” to hide the rows where the formula returns TRUE (indicating blank cells).
5. Select and Delete: Select the visible rows (those with FALSE in the helper column) by clicking on the row numbers. Right-click on the selected rows and choose “Delete Row” from the context menu.
6. Remove Helper Column: Once you’ve deleted the blank rows, you can remove the helper column if it’s no longer needed.

Method 3: Using Go To Special

Excel’s “Go To Special” feature provides a quick way to select and remove blank cells. Follow these steps:

1. Select Your Data Range: Click on any cell within the range of data from which you want to remove blank cells.
2. Open Go To Special: Press Ctrl + G on your keyboard to open the “Go To” dialog box. Click on the “Special” button at the bottom left corner of the dialog box.
3. Choose Blanks: In the “Go To Special” dialog box, select the “Blanks” option and click “OK.” This action will select all blank cells within your data range.
4. Delete Cells: With the blank cells selected, right-click on any of the selected cells and choose “Delete” from the context menu. In the “Delete” dialog box, select “Shift cells up” and click “OK.” This action will shift the non-blank cells up, removing the blank ones.
5. Done!: You’ve successfully removed the blank cells from your Excel sheet using the “Go To Special” feature.

Method 4: VBA Macro to Remove Blank Cells

If you’re comfortable with a bit of programming in Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), you can automate the process of removing blank cells with a custom macro. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Open the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) Editor

• Press Alt + F11 to open the VBA Editor in Excel.

Step 2: Insert a New Module

• Right-click on any item in the Project Explorer (usually on the left side), hover over “Insert,” and select “Module.”

Step 3: Copy and Paste the VBA Code

• Copy and paste the following VBA code into the module window:

Sub RemoveBlankCells()
    Dim rng As Range
    On Error Resume Next
    'Select the entire worksheet
    Set rng = ActiveSheet.UsedRange
    'Remove blank cells
    rng.SpecialCells(xlCellTypeBlanks).Delete Shift:=xlUp
    On Error GoTo 0
End Sub

Step 4: Run the Macro

• Close the VBA Editor by clicking the “X” button or pressing Alt + Q.
• Press Alt + F8 to open the “Macro” dialog box.
• Select “RemoveBlankCells” from the list and click “Run.”

This VBA macro selects the entire used range in the active sheet and removes the blank cells, shifting the remaining cells up. It provides a quick and automated way to clean up your data without the need for manual intervention.

Remember to save your workbook before running any VBA code, as macros cannot be undone, and it’s always good practice to have a backup.

Conclusion

Blank cells can clutter your Excel sheets and make data analysis and reporting more challenging. However, with the methods outlined in this guide, you can effortlessly remove blank cells and streamline your workflow. Whether you choose to use the Filter and Delete method, Excel formulas, or the Go To Special feature, these step-by-step instructions will help you tidy up your Excel sheets and make your data more manageable. Try these methods today and enjoy cleaner and more organized Excel sheets!