The simplest way to remove a formula
To delete a formula in Excel, click the cell containing it and press Delete. The formula disappears and the cell becomes empty. If you want to keep the result of the formula but remove the formula itself, use Paste Special instead: copy the cell, right-click it, select Paste Special, choose Values Only, and click OK. The number stays; the formula goes.
The Delete key is the fastest route when you simply want the cell blank. Paste Special is what you need when you want to preserve the calculated result — for instance, if a formula shows a total and you want to lock that number in place before changing the source data.
Key Takeaways
- Press Delete on any cell to remove its formula and leave the cell empty.
- Use Paste Special with Values Only to keep the formula's result as a static number.
- To delete multiple formulas at once, select the range first, then press Delete.
- If you delete a formula by mistake, press Ctrl+Z immediately to undo and restore it.
Deleting a single formula versus multiple formulas
A single cell takes one click and one keystroke. Click the cell, press Delete, done. Multiple cells require you to select them first. Click the first cell, hold Shift, and click the last cell in the range you want to clear. All cells between them highlight. Then press Delete and every formula in that selection vanishes at once.
If the cells you want to delete are not next to each other, hold Ctrl and click each one individually. They will all highlight even though they are scattered across the sheet. Press Delete and all of them clear together. This method saves time when you need to remove formulas from ten cells spread across different parts of your spreadsheet.
Keeping the result but removing the formula
When you delete a formula, the result disappears too. If you need the number to stay — because you want to use it in another calculation or send the sheet to someone who should not see your formulas — you must convert the formula to its value first.
Select the cell with the formula. Press Ctrl+C to copy it. Right-click the same cell and choose Paste Special from the menu. A dialog box opens. Click the radio button next to Values Only and then click OK. The formula is now gone, but the number it calculated remains in the cell. You can verify this by clicking the cell: the formula bar at the top will show only the number, not the formula.
This technique works on ranges too. Select multiple cells containing formulas, copy them, right-click, choose Paste Special, select Values Only, and click OK. Every formula in the selection becomes a static number.
Undoing a deletion you did not mean to make
If you press Delete and immediately realize you needed that formula, press Ctrl+Z. Excel will undo the deletion and restore the formula to the cell. This works even if you deleted multiple formulas at once — one Ctrl+Z restores them all.
The undo history in Excel goes back many steps, so you can press Ctrl+Z multiple times if you need to reverse several actions. However, once you close the file without saving, the undo history is lost. If you have already saved the file after deleting the formula, you cannot undo it through the normal undo function.
Clearing only the formula, not the cell formatting
When you press Delete, Excel removes the formula and leaves the cell's formatting alone — the color, font, borders, and alignment all stay the same. The cell just becomes empty. This is usually what you want.
If you want to remove the formula and also erase all formatting (color, font, borders, alignment, everything), right-click the cell and choose Clear Contents. This removes the formula and resets the cell to default formatting. Use this when you want to start fresh with a cell and do not want any trace of its previous appearance.
Removing formulas from an entire column or row
Click the column letter at the top (for a whole column) or the row number on the left (for a whole row). The entire column or row highlights in blue. Press Delete and every formula in that column or row disappears. All other cells in that column or row remain unchanged.
Be careful with this approach — it removes formulas from every single cell in that column or row, not just the ones you intended. If you are unsure, select a smaller range first and delete that instead. You can always undo with Ctrl+Z if you delete too much.
Replacing a formula with a different formula
You do not need to delete a formula to replace it. Simply click the cell and start typing a new formula. As soon as you type the equals sign, Excel knows you are entering a formula and replaces the old one with what you type. Press Enter when you are done and the new formula takes over.
If you want to edit the existing formula instead of replacing it entirely, press F2 or double-click the cell. The formula appears in the cell itself and you can edit it directly. Make your changes and press Enter. This is faster than deleting and retyping when you only need to change part of the formula.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens to cells that reference a deleted formula?
If another cell contains a formula that references a cell you just deleted, that cell will show #REF! error. This tells you the formula is trying to use data that no longer exists. You will need to either restore the deleted formula or rewrite the referencing formula to point to different data.
Can I delete just part of a formula?
No, you must delete or replace the entire formula. However, you can edit it. Press F2 or double-click the cell to enter edit mode, then select and delete the part you want to remove. Press Enter to save the edited formula. This lets you modify a formula without starting from scratch.
Does deleting a formula save automatically?
No. Deleting a formula changes your spreadsheet, but the file itself is not saved until you press Ctrl+S or use File > Save. If you close Excel without saving, the deletion is lost and the formula returns when you reopen the file.
How do I delete a formula but keep the cell?
Press Delete. The formula disappears and the cell stays in place, just empty. If you want the cell to contain the result of the formula as a number instead, use Paste Special with Values Only as described above.