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: Dragging to Clear Cells.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated August 30, 2025)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
Want a really quick way to clear the cells in a range you've selected? If you've got a hold of the mouse, simply grab the fill handle (the small square at the bottom-right corner of the selection) and drag it back over the selection area. As you drag, the cells are grayed out, and when you release the mouse button the values in the cells are cleared.
If you also want to clear the formats in the cells, just hold down the Ctrl key as you drag the fill handle back over the selection.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2986) 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: Dragging to Clear Cells.
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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:
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