Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Deleting Every X Rows.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated March 16, 2024)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365
When you import data from an outside source, you may run into a need to delete extraneous data from a worksheet. For instance, you may have a need to remove every second line from the data, or every fifth line. Doing this by hand can be tedious and prone to error. Fortunately, you can create a macro to help eliminate both the tedium and the errors.
The following macro, DeleteRows, will remove every X rows from your worksheet. All you have to do is select the rows you want it applied to. The macro, as written, will remove every second row. So, if you wanted to delete the first, third, fifth, and seventh rows beginning with row 10, you would select rows 10 through 16 and then run this macro. It results in rows 10 (the first row), 12 (the third row), 14 (the fifth row), and 16 (the seventh row) being deleted.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here:
Sub DeleteRows()
Dim iStart As Integer
Dim iEnd As Integer
Dim iCount As Integer
Dim iStep As Integer
Dim J As Integer
iStep = 2 'Delete every 2nd row
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
iStart = 1
iCount = Selection.Rows.Count
'Find ending row to start deleting
For J = iStart To iCount Step iStep
iEnd = J
Next
Do While iEnd >= iStart
Selection.Rows(iEnd).Delete
iEnd = iEnd — iStep
Loop
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub
If you want to delete some other multiple of lines, simply change the setting for the iStep variable. For instance, if you want to delete every fifth row, change iStep from 2 to 5. (You only need to make the single change, in the iStep = 2 declaration.)
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (3592) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Deleting Every X Rows.
Program Successfully in Excel! This guide will provide you with all the information you need to automate any task in Excel and save time and effort. Learn how to extend Excel's functionality with VBA to create solutions not possible with the standard features. Includes latest information for Excel 2024 and Microsoft 365. Check out Mastering Excel VBA Programming today!
Having macros in multiple open workbooks can sometimes produce unexpected or undesired results. If your macros are ...
Discover MoreIf your macro closes workbooks, you'll want to make sure that it will save any changes you made to the workbook. Here's ...
Discover MoreYou can create macros that are automatically executed whenever certain events occur within a worksheet. This tip details ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2024-03-25 12:14:05
J. Woolley
Re. my previous comment below, My Excel Toolbox now includes the following two macros:
DeleteEveryNthRow -- Delete every Nth row of the selected range
DeleteEveryNthCol -- Delete every Nth column of the selected range
See https://sites.google.com/view/MyExcelToolbox/
2024-03-19 18:30:50
J. Woolley
Here's my version of the Tip's macro:
Sub DeleteRows2()
Const myName = "DeleteRows2"
Dim nStart As Long, nCount As Long, nEnd As Long, nStep As Long
Dim nSelecRows As Long, rSelecCells As Range, rDelete As Range
Dim n As Long, msg As String
Set rSelecCells = Selection
For n = 1 To rSelecCells.Areas.Count 'might be non-contiguous
nSelecRows = nSelecRows + rSelecCells.Areas(n).Rows.Count
Next n
Selection.Areas(1).EntireRow.Select 'selection of contiguous rows
nStart = Selection.Cells(1).Row
nCount = Selection.Rows.Count
nEnd = nStart + nCount - 1
msg = "To delete every Nth row of the selected range " & vbLf _
& "$" & nStart & ":$" & nEnd & " starting with row $" _
& nStart & ", enter a value for " & vbLf & "increment N:"
nStep = Int(Application.InputBox(msg, myName, 0, Type:=1))
If nStep < 1 Then
rSelecCells.Select
MsgBox "No rows were deleted.", , myName
Exit Sub
End If
nEnd = nStart + nStep * ((nCount - 1) \ nStep) 'integer division
Set rDelete = Rows(nStart).EntireRow
For n = (nStart + nStep) To nEnd Step nStep
Set rDelete = Application.Union(rDelete, Rows(n).EntireRow)
Next n
rDelete.Select
msg = "The selected rows will be deleted."
If MsgBox(msg, vbOKCancel, myName) = vbOK Then
nSelecRows = nSelecRows - rDelete.Rows.Count
rDelete.Delete
End If
If nSelecRows > 0 Then rSelecCells.Select Else ActiveCell.Select
End Sub
2024-03-17 01:40:32
Nir
If VB is too much for you:
add the following in a new column:
=MOD(ROW()-X,Y)
1. where X is the first data row (after headers) and Y is the number of rows to count.
2. first row for the formula=first DATA row.
3. drug all the way down.
4. filter OUT the zeros.
5. delete all the rows and remove filter.
Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments