To remove formatting from a row in Excel, the most straightforward method is to select the entire row using its heading and then use the "Clear Formats" option available in Excel's ribbon.
Simple Steps to Clear Formatting from a Row
Follow these steps to quickly erase formatting from a specific row:
- Select the Row: Pick the row heading by clicking on the number on the left side of the worksheet corresponding to the row you want to clear formatting from. This selects the entire row.
- Access Clear Options: Go to the Home tab on the Excel ribbon. In the Editing group, you will find the Clear button, often represented by an eraser icon. Click on this button.
- Clear Formats: From the dropdown menu that appears, select Clear Formats.
Selecting "Clear Formats" will remove various types of formatting applied to the cells within that row, including font styles (bold, italics, underline), font size, colors (text and fill), borders, number formats (like currency, percentage, date), and cell alignment, without deleting the actual cell content.
Removing Formatting from Other Selections
The "Clear Formats" function is versatile and can be applied to other selections as well, using similar steps:
- Entire Worksheet: You can Select all of the cells in the worksheet using the 'Select All' button located in the top-left corner where the row headings and column headings meet. Then, go to the Home tab, click Clear, and select Clear Formats.
- Entire Column: To remove formatting from an entire column, pick the column heading by clicking on the letter at the top. Then, go to the Home tab, click Clear, and select Clear Formats.
- Non-Adjacent Rows, Columns, or Ranges: To erase formats in non-adjacent columns or ranges, pick the first cell or range. Then, hold down the Ctrl key (on Windows) or Cmd key (on Mac) and select additional non-adjacent rows, columns, or ranges. Once all desired areas are selected, go to the Home tab, click Clear, and select Clear Formats.
Using the row (or column, or Select All) heading ensures that formatting is removed consistently across all cells in that selection.
