The Ultimate Guide to Clear Formatting in Excel: Step-by-Step Instructions, Tips, and Tricks

Introduction

Excel is a powerful tool used to organize data and perform analyses. However, formatting can often be a tedious and time-consuming process. Inaccurate formatting can also lead to errors that can impact the integrity of your data. This is where clearing formatting in Excel comes in. In this article, we will provide step-by-step instructions, tips, and tricks on how to clear formatting quickly and efficiently, avoiding common mistakes, and fixing formatting issues in Excel.

The Ultimate Guide to Clear Formatting in Excel: Step-by-Step Instructions

Clearing formatting in Excel is the process of removing all formatting, such as font size, bold text, borders, data validation, and more, from a cell or range of cells. Here are step-by-step instructions on how to clear formatting in Excel:

1. Select the cell(s) or range of cells that you want to clear formatting from.
2. Click on the “Home” tab in the ribbon menu.
3. Locate the “Editing” group and click on the “Clear” dropdown arrow.
4. Select “Clear Formats.”

Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut “Ctrl + Shift + Z” to clear formatting.

It’s important to note that clearing formatting will remove all formatting including number formatting, conditional formatting, and data validation. Therefore, you will need to re-apply any formatting that’s necessary.

Here’s how to clear formatting using a keystroke command:

First, highlight the cell(s) you want to clear. Then, press Alt > H > E > F.

After clearing the formatting, the cell(s) will return to the default formatting for the worksheet, including no fill color, Calibri (Body) font, and a font size of 11.

Using Excel, you can choose one or more cells to clear formatting, an entire column or row, or the entire worksheet.

10 Excel Tips to Help You Clear Formatting in Record Time

Clearing formatting in Excel can be a time-consuming task, especially if you are working with a large dataset. Here are ten tips to help you clear formatting more effectively:

1. Use the “Format Painter” tool to copy and paste formatting from one cell to another. Simply select the cell with the desired formatting and click the “Format Painter” tool (brush icon) in the “Home” tab. Highlight the cells you want to copy the formatting to.
2. Use conditional formatting or table styles to apply formatting uniformly throughout the sheet easily. This process saves time and reduces potential formatting errors.
3. Use the “Clear All” option to erase everything in a cell, including the data and formatting added to it.
4. Refresh formatting by clicking into a cell and using the backspace to delete everything in it. Then, retype the value or add the content back in.
5. Use “Paste Special” to copy formulas, values, or formatting without duplicating the formatting from the copied cells.
6. If you know that you will be using the same formatting multiple times, you can create a custom cell style for that formatting. This will minimize the time it takes to apply formatting manually.
7. Use the “Find and Replace” function to replace specific formats across your worksheet. Select “Find and Replace” and choose the “Replace” tab within the pop-up box to clear unwanted formats across the selected cells, rows, and columns.
8. You can use a shortcut for “Clear Formatting.” Highlight the cells you want to remove formatting, press Alt > H > E > A.
9. To clear blank spaces and characters in your Excel cells, use the “Trim” function. The “Trim” function will extract only the text from a cell and remove surplus blank spaces in front or at the end of the value. The formula is =Trim(Cell).
10. Use “Format Cells” to manage specific formatting changes. Select the cells you want to adjust, go to the “Home” tab, and then select the “Format Cells” icon.

The Importance of Clearing Formatting in Excel: Avoiding Common Mistakes

Clearing formatting in Excel is essential because it can help you avoid common mistakes when working with data. Some of these include:

1. Merging cells – Excel can merge various cells together, making it easier to display data in specific ways. However, this practice can lead to issues with formatting when working with formulas or sorting data. Clear formatting can alert you to any inconsistencies with the merged cells.
2. Loss of data when copying or pasting – Copying and pasting is one of the most common practices in Excel. However, Excel preserves formatting information when you copy and paste values. Clear formatting can prevent incorrect formulas caused by extra formatting.
3. Altering cell sizes – Excel allows users to change cell size and width. However, if the formatting is not done correctly, it can lead to issues when printing or working with hidden data. Clearing formatting can restore cell width and height to default levels.

4 Common Formatting Issues in Excel and How to Fix Them

There are specific formatting issues in Excel that users commonly experience. Here are instructions on how to fix those issues:

1. Number formatting and dates – If you’ve imported data from an external source that has a different format for numbers and dates than Excel uses, it is common to face formatting issues. In this case, you must change the format to a standard date or number format. First, highlight the cell or entire column that requires the change, then click on “Number Format” within the “Home” tab. Choose the format that’s suitable for you.
2. Extra spaces in cells – Excel locations blanks spaces in cells that can interfere with formulas and lead to formatting issues. The “Trim” function can come in handy to remove these unnecessary spaces. First, highlight the column with blanks spaces, then write “=TRIM(Cell)” into an adjacent cell and execute the function as you wish.
3. Data validation – This issue occurs when you need to validate the data you are working with based on a certain criterion. Double-check that the validation criteria work correctly before finalizing the data you are working with.
4. Conditional formatting – Sometimes Excel users modify the formatting conditions and apply them to the entire worksheet. This practice can lead to unexpected results if used incorrectly. To avoid this, apply formatting individually to each cell by selecting “conditional formatting” and defining the values you would like to modify.

Excel Formatting Tricks: How to Clear Formatting Without Losing Data

Clearing formatting removes all formatting, including text color, font size, cell borders, and other types of formatting. However, some people might want to clear the formatting while retaining some data input or number formatting within the cell(s).

One way to clear formatting without losing data is by using “Clear Contents.” Clear contents remove only the data on the cell and not the formatting.
Here’s how to clear contents:

1. Highlight the cell(s) that you want to clear contents from.
2. Go to the “Home” tab in the ribbon.
3. Locate the “Editing” group and click on the “Clear” dropdown arrow.
4. Select “Clear Contents.”

Another way to clear formatting without losing data is by copying the data to a text or a word processor, then copying it back into Excel. This strategy redisplays the data without the previous Excel font formatting.

Conclusion

Clearing formatting in Excel can improve data integrity, minimize errors, and save time when working with large datasets, but it’s important to apply formatting with care. Try the tips and tricks outlined in this article to improve your productivity while working with Excel. Remember to clear formatting with caution and keep copies of your work to avoid data loss.