How to Remove Blank Rows or Empty Lines in Excel
To remove blank rows in Excel, select your data range, press Ctrl + G, choose Special, select Blanks, then delete the selected rows. Check what Excel has selected before deleting, especially if the worksheet contains formulas, subtotals or blank rows used as separators.
Some people call them blank lines, empty lines or empty rows; in Excel, we are usually talking about rows with no useful data in them. Removing these rows helps when you need to filter a list, prepare a report, or import your data into a PivotTable.
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To help you remember the important points to this tutorial, please take the opportunity to download the associated exercise file. You will find the exercise file on the link below.
How to delete blank rows in Excel - exercise file
The Excel Blank Row Problem
Here you can see my thorny problem. Below you will see a picture of my Excel worksheet. However, between the teams there are multiple blank rows that I need to remove.
Before You Delete Blank Rows
If the spreadsheet is important, save a copy before you start. Select only the range you want to clean, then check the highlighted cells carefully before deleting anything. This is safer than selecting the whole worksheet, because a worksheet may contain notes, formulas or exported data outside the visible list.
The first thing I need to do is ensure that I have selected the entire range of data. To do this use the following keyboard shortcut:
Ctrl + End
This takes the cursor to the bottom right of the data that has been inputted. You can be sure that there will be no more data beyond the cursor.
Now, press Ctrl + Shift + Home to select the range.
Next you will want to press Ctrl + G on the keyboard to display the Goto Box.
Now click on Special.
Now, ensure that blanks are selected. This you can see above. Then click on OK.
Now for the final shortcut hold Ctrl + - this will display the Delete box.
Ensure that Shift cells up is selected, then click OK.
As you can see from above, your blank rows have disappeared.
Delete Blank Rows, Empty Rows or Blank Lines?
In Excel these phrases usually mean the same thing. If you searched for delete blank lines in Excel, remove empty rows, eliminate blank rows or get rid of blank rows, the method above is the one you need when the whole row is empty.
Be careful with phrases such as delete blank cells or remove blank cells. Deleting individual blank cells can shift nearby data up or left, which may break the layout of your worksheet. If the problem is a full empty row, delete the row. If the problem is only a few blank cells, check the surrounding data before deleting anything.
Why should you delete blank rows in Excel?
Blank rows make Excel lists harder to sort, filter and check. They can also interrupt formulas, make shared spreadsheets harder to understand, and stop PivotTables or reports from picking up the complete data range.
In a workplace spreadsheet, removing blank rows is often part of preparing imported data for reporting. A clean list helps admin, finance and operations teams work from one continuous block of data, which makes filters, totals and checks easier to trust.
If you regularly receive messy exports, a manual clean-up may not be the best long-term answer. Our Power Query remove blank rows tutorial shows how to build a repeatable clean-up step for recurring reports.
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Remove Blank Rows in Excel FAQs
What is the safest way to remove blank rows in Excel?
Select the data range first, use Go To Special to select blanks, then delete the selected rows. Check the highlighted cells before deleting so you do not remove rows that contain data you still need.
How do I remove blank rows without deleting data?
Work on a copy if the file is important, select only the data range you want to clean, and review Excel's selection before pressing Delete. Do not select the whole sheet unless you are sure there is no useful data outside the list.
Are blank lines and blank rows the same thing in Excel?
Most people mean the same thing when they say blank lines, empty lines, empty rows or blank rows in Excel. Excel's row numbers run down the left of the sheet, so row is the more accurate term.
Can I remove blank rows before using filters or PivotTables?
Yes. Removing blank rows before filtering, sorting, formulas or PivotTables gives Excel a cleaner block of data to work with and helps reduce reporting errors.
Should I use Go To Special or Power Query to remove blank rows?
Use Go To Special for a quick one-off clean-up. Use Power Query when you receive similar exports regularly and want a repeatable clean-up process.
Why did Excel delete cells instead of whole rows?
This can happen if you choose an option that shifts cells up or left rather than deleting the entire worksheet row. Check the Delete dialog carefully and make sure the result still keeps each record together.
Which Excel training covers data cleaning?
Data cleaning is usually covered in Intermediate Excel, with Power Query covered in more advanced or tailored sessions. You can also browse our Excel training courses for online instructor-led and in-person options.
If you have enjoyed this Excel tutorial, please take the opportunity to view our further tutorials from the links below.
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