In Excel: to drop the first character use =RIGHT(A2, LEN(A2)-1); to drop the last use =LEFT(A2, LEN(A2)-1) — change the 1 to remove more.
On this page7
Check whether the number of characters to remove is genuinely constant: =LEN(A2) filled down shows it at a glance.
To remove from the front: =RIGHT(A2, LEN(A2)-n).
To remove from the back: =LEFT(A2, LEN(A2)-n).
Where a delimiter marks the boundary, prefer =TEXTAFTER(A2, "-") or =TEXTBEFORE(A2, "-") on Microsoft 365.
Wrap in VALUE if the result must be numeric — but not if leading zeros matter.
Copy the result column and Paste Special ▸ Values before deleting the source.
What this does
Both formulas work the same way: measure the text with LEN, then keep everything except the n characters you are dropping. RIGHT keeps the tail, so it removes from the front; LEFT keeps the head, so it removes from the back. MID(A2, n+1, LEN(A2)) is an equivalent way to say the first, and REPLACE(A2, 1, n, "") an equivalent way again. Microsoft 365 adds two functions that express the intent directly when there is a delimiter to work from: TEXTAFTER(A2, "-") takes everything after the first hyphen and TEXTBEFORE(A2, "-") everything before it, which is more robust than a character count when the prefix length varies. Two cautions apply generally. The result is always TEXT, so a product code stripped of its letter prefix will not behave as a number until you wrap it in VALUE. And if the prefix length is not actually constant, a fixed count silently mangles the rows where it differs — check with =LEN(A2) down the column before trusting it. 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 “remove first character from string excel”. Start on a copy or a tiny sample, keep the affected cells visible, and compare the result with the outcome you expected before you touch the real workbook. When a formula is involved, keep the inputs labelled beside it, reference cells instead of typing values, and apply number formatting only after the result checks out. The point is a text operation that turns messy entries into clean, usable data, but the practical win is that someone else can open the file and understand what happened without asking you.
A worked example
Codes like P-04821 in A2. =RIGHT(A2, LEN(A2)-2) drops the "P-" leaving 04821 as text; =VALUE(RIGHT(A2, LEN(A2)-2)) gives the number 4821, which also drops the leading zero — so keep it as text if the zero is meaningful. Where the prefix varies (P-, PR-, PROD-), =TEXTAFTER(A2, "-") is correct for all three, and a fixed count is correct for none. Stripped prefixes are what stand between an exported code column and a lookup that matches, and the only real risk is assuming a prefix length that varies. Check the referenced cells, argument order and result type in your workbook. Start with the worked example before changing an input, then compare the changed result with the calculation you expected. An error value or a result of a different type is a reason to inspect the inputs and arguments.
In Google Sheets
Function availability: TEXTAFTER: Excel 2024+; TEXTBEFORE: Excel 2024+. These are Microsoft's version markers; earlier perpetual releases do not include these functions. Check the actual product and update channel before using the formula. A marker does not establish an identical Web/Mac workflow or Google Sheets support. 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. For “remove first character from string excel”, keep the input cells and the result visible while you check the formula in Excel. Follow the worked example and change one input at a time. The steps explain the workbook calculation; this page does not run a live calculator for that task.
Common mistakes
- Swapping
LEFTandRIGHT—RIGHTremoves from the start, which reads backwards until you think about which end it keeps. - Assuming a fixed prefix length and corrupting the rows where it differs.
- Leaving the result as text and then failing to sum or look it up.
- Deleting the source column before pasting the results as values, which fills the column with
#REF!. - Using a character count where trailing spaces are the real problem —
TRIMis the right tool for that.
Frequently asked questions
How do I remove the first character in Excel?
=RIGHT(A2, LEN(A2)-1). For the first n characters, replace 1 with n.
How do I remove the last character?
=LEFT(A2, LEN(A2)-1), again changing 1 to however many you need.
Is there an easier way on Microsoft 365?
Where a delimiter marks the split, yes: =TEXTAFTER(A2, "-") and =TEXTBEFORE(A2, "-") work regardless of how long the prefix is.
Why is my result text rather than a number?
LEFT, RIGHT and MID always return text. Wrap the formula in VALUE — unless leading zeros matter, in which case keep it as text.
Other ways people ask this
This is also commonly searched as “how to remove characters from excel”, “excel vba replace character in string”, “remove special characters from string excel” and “add a character to a string in excel”. 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. “how to remove characters from excel”, “excel vba replace character in string”, “remove special characters from string excel” all point at the one operation explained on this page, which is why they all lead here.