When a Google Sheets spreadsheet is full of mismatched fonts, colors, bold text, number formats, and borders, the fastest fix is to clear the formatting and start fresh. Clearing formatting removes the styling but keeps your data and formulas. This guide shows how to clear formatting from a cell, a range, or an entire sheet on a computer and on mobile, plus how to remove specific formatting such as conditional formatting or data validation.
Quick Answer
Select the cells and press Ctrl + \ (Cmd + \ on Mac), or go to Format > Clear formatting. To clear the whole sheet, press Ctrl + A first.
What Clear Formatting Removes
| Removed | Kept |
|---|---|
| Font, size, bold, italic, underline, strikethrough | Cell values and text |
| Text color and fill color | Formulas |
| Borders | Comments and notes |
| Number formats (currency, percent, dates) | Conditional formatting rules |
| Alignment and wrapping | Data validation (dropdowns, checkboxes) |
Clearing number formats can change how values appear, for example a date may show as a number like 46290. Reapply a number format with Format > Number if needed.
Clear Formatting on a Computer
- Select the cells. Click one cell, drag across a range, click a row or column header, or press Ctrl + A for the whole sheet.
- Press Ctrl + \, or click Format > Clear formatting.
The toolbar may also have a Clear formatting button (a T with a slash), depending on your window width.
Clear Formatting on Android or iPhone
- Open the sheet in the Google Sheets app and select the cells.
- Tap the Format button (the letter A with lines).
- On the Text or Cell tab, scroll down and tap Clear formatting.
Remove Other Kinds of Formatting
Conditional formatting
Select the range and go to Format > Conditional formatting. In the sidebar, hover over a rule and click the trash icon to delete it.
Alternating colors
Click inside the table, go to Format > Alternating colors, and click Remove alternating colors at the bottom of the sidebar.
Tables (converted ranges)
If the data was converted to a table, click the table menu and choose Revert to range first, then clear formatting.
Data validation
Go to Data > Data validation, select the rule, and click Remove rule.
Clear everything, including values
Select the cells and press Delete to clear values but keep formatting, or use Edit > Delete > Values. To remove both values and formatting, clear formatting and then press Delete.
Keep Formatting Clean When Pasting
Paste with Ctrl + Shift + V (Cmd + Shift + V) to paste values only, without bringing in formatting from websites or other spreadsheets.
Troubleshooting
Colors did not go away
The colors probably come from conditional formatting or alternating colors, which Clear formatting does not remove. Use the steps above.
The shortcut does nothing
Check your keyboard layout; on some non-US keyboards the backslash key is in a different place. Use Format > Clear formatting instead.
Clear formatting is grayed out
The range may be protected, or you have view-only access.
Related: Prevent auto-corrections in Google Sheets.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the shortcut to clear formatting in Google Sheets?
Ctrl + \ on Windows and ChromeOS, or Cmd + \ on Mac.
Does clearing formatting delete formulas?
No. Formulas and values stay in place.
Can I undo it?
Yes. Press Ctrl + Z, or restore an earlier version with File > Version history.
Summary
- Select cells and press Ctrl + \ or use Format > Clear formatting.
- Press Ctrl + A first to clear the whole sheet.
- Remove conditional formatting, alternating colors, and validation separately.
- Paste with Ctrl + Shift + V to avoid bringing in new formatting.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.