I have no earthy idea why it took me so long to figure out how to delete the contents of a cell or range in Excel for Mac. Ever since I bought my MacBook Pro I’ve known the Delete key on a Mac isn’t really a Delete key.
I mean, since my background is with Windows, I have ingrained knowledge on how the Delete Key works on a computer. Ingrained, I tell you.
But all of that knowledge was shattered upon getting a Mac.
After some consternation, I learned that you have to hold down the fn key and the Delete key at the same time when you want to delete something on a Mac. (Skip to video)
After a while, you get used to the idea that the Delete key on a Mac is really a backspace key and using fn+Delete gives you the real Delete key action. 
Of course if you’re a long time Mac user you probably think I’m cuckoo. But hey, this is my blog, think what you like. I’m not the only one who’s decided to start using a Mac after a lifetime of Windows abuse use.
Excel for Mac
Anyway, when using Excel on a Mac — I’ve got versions 2008 and 2011 — you run into a learning curve with all the unusual shortcut keys, function keys (1, 2), and menu and ribbon things that are different from the Windows version of Excel. So there’s a tendency to forget about how the Delete key works on a Mac.
I mean, this is Excel we’re talking about here. Hitting the Delete key is supposed to delete the contents of the active cell, for cryin’ out loud.
In Excel for Mac it does that, but the cursor also gets stuck inside the cell in edit mode. You have to hit the enter key to finish deleting the contents, but this act also moves the active cell to the next cell down.
And if you’ve selected a range and hit the Delete key, the active cell contents are deleted and the cursor is stuck inside the cell in edit mode. You have to hit the Enter key, which does nothing but take you to the next cell. The range contents are still there, with the exception of the active cell.
Not the kind of behavior that occurs in Excel for Windows.
How to Delete Cell and Range Contents in Excel for Mac
The trick is to remember that fn+Delete is really a keyboard shortcut to the Delete key on a Mac. Then the world rights itself and the planets align. Frustration abates. You’ve finally found the magic. Your mojo is back!
Watch this 54 second video to see what I’ve been babbling about for the past 454 words.
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one word : CONGRATULATIONS
two more words : THANK YOU
two more words ? : SO MUCH
Chris
Thanks & your welcome.
THANK YOU!!!! I’m just like you and I was going nutz.
I was about ready to pull my hair out until I found you. Your article is hilarious! Only because I went through the same emotions, right down to the (%!#$@!)…LOL! Thank you so much!!!
Glad you liked it. It’s nice to know I’m being helpful.
I figured out the fn+ Del thing but was doing a search hoping there was some preference setting that would let me tell the Delete what to do- serious bummer. This means I need to use both hands on the key board to delete a range. I did find that I can get to it by right clicking and selecting clear contents and that you can customize the tool bar to put a clear contents button (looks like a chalkboard eraser). For me the toolbar is usually the easiest option so thought I would share.
On another note- I knew that the delete key acted differently on mac but had not put it together that it was actually equivalent to the backspace key on a PC and there essentially is no ‘delete’ key on a mac and did not realize until you pointed it out that the fn+delete works in all the other mac os applications as the ‘PC delete key’ so thanks for that!
Using the clear contents button is a good idea and one I didn’t think about. Thanks!
I just realized that eraser button is on the ribbon too so I did not need it to add it to the tool bar LOL… using both mac and pc is messing with my brain!
If you go to edit, find then find what you are looking for in Excel, if you want to highlight and delete the row you have to close the find box before you can do anything. Have you found a work-around? It is not as easy as the PC when you find, delete and the box is still open and you can go to the next.
Actually on the PC you can select everything you find in the Find box by using Ctrl+A, then delete all rows at one time.
On a Mac it just doesn’t work the same. You have to close the Find dialog box as you mentioned. And I haven’t found a work around. Sorry to disappoint but there you go.
The full-size Mac keyboard has a delete key on the numerical pad that deletes with one key. There are also 3rd party apps that allow users to reprogram keys for the Mac.
I didn’t know the full-size Mac keyboard had a delete key!
I’ve found that the more I use my Mac the less I think about a “delete” key.
Also the new mac os lion allows you to program any menu selection into a keyboard shortcut.
http://lifehacker.com/343328/create-a-keyboard-shortcut-for-any-menu-action-in-any-program
I have a delete key, but can’t delete or click on anything without closing the find box.
Yeah, that’s the way it works in Excel 2011 and 2008 for Mac.
Bless you …for writing this blog. Bless google for landing me on your blog. Thanks for the tips (how to delete something..and how to edit a cell)
Thanks for the encouragement.
Am I ever glad that I found this blog – I’ve been deleting individual ranges for months now wondering why the %$@& things are so different in the Mac world. Thank you
I live to serve
I now also live on the planet of those a little less insane. Just recently switched to Mac after 20+ years as a PC girl. THANK YOU!
I have no idea why Mac does this, but thanks so much for the info!
Next thing is how to hit enter and auto populate the autocomplete instead of having to use down arrow and then enter.
Yes, that second one is driving me nuts too!
You can also use end + enter to autocomplete.
My Mac keyboard doesn’t have and End key. I’m using the down arrow, then hitting the enter key.
There are a few annoying things about excel.. and mac!
I hate that I am unable to the F2 – i.e. go into a cell
and when i copy a cell and press enter, it doesn’t copy into another cell..
If you wonderful people have come across these little annoying things.., then I would be most grateful if you can let me know.
Mac’s are pretty awesome computers, but man.. the delete and other excel items you are used to are just too annoying.
At the moment I am figuring out how to maximise the excel and words page!!!!! so it doesn’t have the mac ‘best fit’ version.
Ahh the joys of owning a mac! could turn into an expensive door mat soon.
It gets easier.
On my macbook pro, office 2010, in excel I can hit crtl+u to enter a cell. That drove me nuts for 2 months!
I use ctrl+c and ctrl+v to copy and paste cells.
I came across your blog while searching for help with my transition from Windows to Mac. It has been quite an experience. It has taken a while to find a site that explains things the way they should be; not only “how” to do something, but “why” would you need/want to do something. As a former PC instructor, I SO appreciate your “lessons.” Your blog is very clear, very easy-to-understand, and you have a sense of humor one needs to get through this rocky road into the Mac world. I will be MUCH more productive having learned about the simple tricks of how to use the Delete and F4 keys!!! Looking forward to reading, and learning more. Thank you!
@Suz, I’m framing your comment and putting it on my wall. Thanks for the inspiration!
OMG, this was such an amazing find. I love Excel and use it for a lot of things and have had a Mac for almost five years and was perpetually flummoxed by the lack of a delete key on my personal computer (I, too, had grown comfortable with it at work and school). Thanks again!
So glad i found ur blog. I’m really good with excel in windows but now i’m on a mac. That “delete” key was really pissing me off.
Gregory,
You are now bookmarked on my favorites. Between the “damn backspace key” and the F2 pages I read from you, I am a new woman! My husband is an AppleSeed to the Max, apple, apple, apple. I am the Excel queen. I could not STAND using Excel for Mac for the two reasons stated above and all we would do is fight. Me: “Mac sucks” Him: “No, you’re an idiot and all you do is B—–”. You know, happily married!
Well many thanks to you and your great and very funny blogs!
Nice comment!
The dialogue between you and your spouse is going on inside my head, I love the Mac, but Excel on the Mac sucks. Hence a lot of the articles I write are a form of therapy. Glad you liked it.
I literally laughed out loud three times watching the video and reading peoples’ comments. I can’t even write, I’m still laughing! Thank you!
@Miles, my pleasure.
Hey thanks for that on the delete button as a 30 yr user of PC and now this year to mac with excel 2012 you have reduced the expletives emanating from my desk by a quantum
Thank you, that has been driving me crazy for a year now. I wish I would have googled this earlier!
Brilliant! It has been driving me nutty. Succinctly put and V useful. keep up the good work.
ps, I don’t really Hates Apple any more – just occasionally get frustrated as I struggle to learn this ‘intuitive’ system.
If you hadn’t said Hates Apple I wouldn’t have noticed your email address. You can always create an email alias for your me.com account in iCloud. (They let you create up to 3 alias’)
Bless you. I was going batshit trying to work on stuff for the last few month. Amazing how many different word combo searches I had to google before finding this article. And zero notations in the Excel help menu!
Thanks! Helped
Found that line HILARIOUS!
” I’m not the only one who’s decided to start using a Mac after a lifetime of Windows abuse use.”
You rock. I was so sure I was the only stupid person who couldn’t figure it. I typed “delete data in excel mac” in Google to find your blog. I’ve also been a solid Windows user, and I use Excel every single day so it was killing me to manually delete the data on every. single. cell. if I wanted to keep the formulas intact. Bookmarked your blog, thank you soooooo much.
Your welcome.
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