How to Insert and Delete Rows and Columns in Excel

Inserting and deleting rows and columns in Excel is a daily task. Knowing the keyboard shortcuts saves significant time compared to right-clicking every time. Here is the complete reference.

Insert Row

Shortcut: Ctrl+Shift++ (plus sign)

Select the entire row by clicking the row number, or select any cell in the row
Press Ctrl+Shift++
If you selected a full row, Excel inserts immediately. If you selected a cell, the Insert dialog appears — choose Entire Row and press Enter.

A new empty row is inserted above the selected row. All rows below shift down. Alt+I then R is an older menu shortcut that still works: press Alt+I to open the Insert menu, then R for Row. On Mac: Ctrl+Shift++ (same as Windows) or Cmd+Shift++

Insert Column

Shortcut: Ctrl+Shift++ (plus sign)

The insert shortcut is the same for rows and columns — what matters is your selection:

Select the entire column by clicking the column letter
Press Ctrl+Shift++

A new empty column is inserted to the left of the selected column. All columns to the right shift right.

If you have a cell selected rather than a full column, the Insert dialog opens. Choose Entire Column and press Enter.

Alt+I then C opens Insert → Column via the keyboard menu. On Mac: Ctrl+Shift++ or Cmd+Shift++

Delete Row

Shortcut: Ctrl+- (minus sign)

Select the entire row (click the row number) or select any cell in the row
Press Ctrl+-
If a full row is selected, it deletes immediately. If a cell is selected, the Delete dialog appears — choose Entire Row and Enter.

The row is removed and all rows below shift up. On Mac: Ctrl+- or Cmd+-

Delete Column

Shortcut: Ctrl+- (minus sign)

Same shortcut as delete row:

Select the entire column (click the column letter)
Press Ctrl+-

The column is removed and columns to the right shift left.

Delete Cell Contents (Without Deleting the Row or Column)

Shortcut: Delete key

The Delete key clears the contents of selected cells but leaves the cells, their formatting, and their position in the sheet intact. This is different from deleting the row or column — the cells stay, they just become empty.

To clear both contents and formatting, go to Home → Editing → Clear → Clear All, or right-click and choose Clear Contents vs. Clear All.

Note: Backspace also clears content but puts the cell into edit mode. Delete clears and keeps the cell selected, which is usually what you want.

Inserting Multiple Rows or Columns at Once

Select the same number of rows or columns as you want to insert before using the shortcut:

To insert 3 rows: select 3 entire rows, then press Ctrl+Shift++
To insert 4 columns: select 4 entire columns, then press Ctrl+Shift++

Excel inserts exactly as many rows or columns as you had selected.

The Insert Cells Dialog

When you press Ctrl+Shift++ with a cell (not a full row or column) selected, the Insert dialog appears with four options:

Shift cells right — pushes existing cells in the row to the right
Shift cells down — pushes existing cells in the column down
Entire row — inserts a full row
Entire column — inserts a full column

For row and column inserts, always choose Entire Row or Entire Column to avoid creating misaligned data.

Right-Click Menu as a Fallback

If shortcuts are not working (for example in certain Excel Online environments), right-clicking always works:

Right-click a row number → Insert or Delete
Right-click a column letter → Insert or Delete
Right-click a cell → Insert or Delete → then choose your option in the dialog

Mac Equivalents Quick Reference

Action	Windows	Mac
Insert row/column	Ctrl+Shift++	Ctrl+Shift++ or Cmd+Shift++
Delete row/column	Ctrl+-	Ctrl+- or Cmd+-
Clear cell contents	Delete	Delete or Fn+Delete
Open Insert dialog	Ctrl+Shift++ on a cell	Same

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Delete key and Ctrl+- for rows?

The Delete key clears cell contents — the row or column structure remains. Ctrl+- on a selected row removes the entire row from the sheet, shifting all rows below it up. They are completely different operations.

How do I insert a row without a dialog box appearing?

Select the entire row first by clicking the row number on the left side of the sheet, then press Ctrl+Shift++. When a full row is selected, Excel skips the dialog and inserts immediately.

Can I undo an insert or delete?

Yes. Ctrl+Z undoes the last insert or delete operation, restoring the sheet to its previous state. Multiple undos work normally.

Why does Ctrl+Shift++ not work on my keyboard?

On some keyboard layouts, + is a shifted character that requires Shift already held. Try Ctrl+Shift+= instead (the equals sign on the same key as plus). In Excel this is treated the same as Ctrl+Shift++.

How do I insert a row between every existing row (alternating blank rows)?

This requires a slightly longer technique. Add a helper column with numbers 1, 2, 3... next to your data. Copy that series below the data (so you have two sets of numbers). Sort by the helper column — this interleaves the blank rows. Then delete the helper column. Alternatively, a macro can do this in one step.