A footer in Excel 2013 prints at the bottom of every page, which is handy for page numbers but unwanted when a workbook inherits old text like a file path or a company name. You can clear it from Page Layout view or from the Page Setup dialog. Office 2013 reached end of support on April 11, 2023, so it no longer receives security updates; the same steps work in newer Excel versions.
Quick Answer
Go to Page Layout, open the Page Setup dialog launcher, select the Header/Footer tab, and set Footer to (none). Click OK and the footer is removed from every printed page of that sheet.
How to Delete a Footer in Excel 2013
- Open the workbook and select the worksheet with the footer.
- Click the Page Layout tab, then click the small arrow in the lower-right corner of the Page Setup group.
- In the Page Setup dialog, select the Header/Footer tab.
- Open the Footer drop-down list and choose (none) at the top of the list.
- Click OK, then check File, Print to confirm the footer no longer appears in the preview.
- Repeat for any other sheet, since each worksheet keeps its own footer settings.
Ways to Remove a Footer
| Method | Best for |
|---|---|
| Page Setup, Footer (none) | Clearing the whole footer in one step |
| Page Layout view | Deleting one section, such as the left footer |
| Custom Footer button | Editing text instead of removing it |
| Group selected sheets | Clearing footers on several sheets at once |
Troubleshooting
- The footer still prints: check whether the sheet uses a different first page or odd and even footers, and clear those boxes too.
- Only part of the footer is gone: in Page Layout view, click each of the three footer sections and delete the text.
- Need a title on each page instead? See how to include a title at the top of each page in Excel 2013.
- For repeating headings, read how to print the top row on every page in Excel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does removing the footer delete any data?
No. Headers and footers are print settings, so your cell data is untouched.
Can I remove footers from several sheets at once?
Yes. Hold Ctrl, click each sheet tab to group them, then change the footer in Page Setup. Remember to ungroup afterward.
Why can I not see the footer in Normal view?
Footers only appear in Page Layout view and in Print Preview.
Summary
- Open Page Layout and the Page Setup dialog.
- Select the Header/Footer tab.
- Set Footer to (none) and click OK.
- Check Print Preview and repeat for other sheets.
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.
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