In Excel: press Ctrl+- on Windows (⌘+- on Mac) to delete the selected row instantly — no mouse or menu required.
On this page8
Keyboard shortcut: Delete Row
| Platform | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Windows | Ctrl+- |
| Mac | ⌘+- |
Select a full row header first.
Activate the workbook or sheet where you need to delete the selected row; select a target only if this command acts on a selection.
On Windows, press Ctrl+- to trigger the Delete Row action immediately.
On Mac, use ⌘+- instead — the result is identical.
Check the effect of Delete Row; a view toggle reverses when pressed again, whereas an edit may change workbook data.
What this does
Pressing Ctrl+- on Windows — or ⌘+- on a Mac — triggers the Delete Row action instantly. The shortcut bypasses the right-click context menu and the ribbon, so you can delete the selected row mid-keystroke without breaking your editing rhythm. Excel's shortcut model is consistent: once you learn Ctrl+- for Delete Row you can apply the same muscle-memory pattern across dozens of related operations, making the whole workflow noticeably faster. The same idea underpins a lot of everyday Excel work, so the few minutes spent getting it right here pay back across every sheet you build afterwards. Treat it as a pattern, not a one-off, and it stops being something you look up and starts being something you reach for. The difference between a quick fix and a sheet you can trust is the extra minute you spend validating “hotkey to delete row in excel”. Start on a copy or a tiny sample, keep the affected rows visible, and compare the result with the outcome you expected before you touch the real workbook. When this is a ribbon command, the selection matters more than the button: confirm the range, apply the command, then spot-check the output before saving. The point is a data step that keeps your analysis trustworthy, but the practical win is that someone else can open the file and understand what happened without asking you.
A worked example
Worked case: A blank row 13 is no longer needed. Select its row header and use the shortcut; check that the row below moves up. Compare the state before and after Ctrl+- (or ⌘+- on Mac) so you can tell whether Delete Row did what you needed. Use Ctrl+- (⌘+- on Mac) for the Delete Row action after confirming the active sheet or selection. This avoids reaching through menus without assuming that the action repeats or applies to multiple rows. If this is something you do often, add the command to the Quick Access Toolbar (right-click it on the ribbon and choose Add to Quick Access Toolbar) or learn its shortcut, so next time it is one click instead of a hunt through the menus.
In Google Sheets
This is a command rather than a formula, so there is no syntax to carry over. Google Sheets arranges its commands in menus across the top instead of a ribbon, names some of them differently and does not have every Excel command — look for the equivalent in the Sheets menus or its help before assuming the steps match. Keep this page bookmarked for the next time the same question comes up. Better still, repeat the steps once in your own workbook — doing it yourself is what turns a copied answer into something you remember. The short version of “hotkey to delete row in excel”: the answer is at the top of this page, and the sections above explain why each step matters, so a variation of the problem does not stump you. Try it once on a copy of a real file and the steps stick far better than re-reading them.
Common mistakes
- Using Ctrl instead of the correct modifier or vice versa — always double-check whether Ctrl+- starts with Ctrl, Alt, or Shift.
- Activating a cell for editing (cursor visible inside the cell) before pressing the shortcut — many shortcuts only fire when a cell is selected, not in edit mode. Press Escape to exit edit mode first.
- Expecting the shortcut to work the same in Google Sheets: most Delete Row shortcuts are Excel-specific; Sheets uses different key combos for the same operations.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a Mac shortcut for Delete Row?
Use ⌘+- on Mac for Delete Row. It may be a menu path rather than a direct key combination; check the action on your Excel version and keyboard layout.
What if the Delete Row shortcut (Ctrl+-) doesn't work?
Check that you are not in cell-edit mode (press Escape first), that no dialog is open, and that no add-in has reassigned the shortcut. On a laptop, some function keys require pressing Fn first.
Can I use the Delete Row shortcut multiple times in a row?
It depends on Delete Row: a view toggle reverses on the next press, while an edit may apply again. Check the state before repeating; do not assume that selecting multiple rows or pressing F4 is supported for this action.
Other ways people ask this
This is also commonly searched as “keyboard shortcut to delete row in excel”, “delete row shortcut excel”, “row delete shortcut in excel” and “excel keyboard shortcut delete row”. They describe the identical operation, so you are in the right place no matter how you phrased it.
Why do people search for this in so many different ways?
Because the same task has many names. “keyboard shortcut to delete row in excel”, “delete row shortcut excel”, “row delete shortcut in excel” all point at the one operation explained on this page, which is why they all lead here.