Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Deleting Every X Rows.
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: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later 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 (2292) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Deleting Every X Rows.
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2018-09-11 05:31:43
Michael (Micky) Avidan
I believe that one loop will be sufficient.
Sub DeleteRows()
Dim iStart As Integer
Dim iCount As Integer
Dim iStep As Integer
Dim J As Integer
iStep = 2 ' Delete every 2nd row from the bottom
Application.ScreenUpdating = 0
iStart = 1
iCount = Selection.Rows.Count
For J = iCount To iStart Step -iStep
Rows(J).Delete
Next
Application.ScreenUpdating = 1
End Sub
-------------
Micky Avidan
2018-09-11 05:23:21
Willy Vanhaelen
@Hank
The minus sign is in fact an n-dash. Replace it with a normal minus and VB will accept it.
2018-09-10 07:20:57
Hank
When I copied the macro, the "iEnd = iEnd — iStep" showed up as a syntax error.
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