How to Deselect Cells in Excel: A Complete Guide for All Users

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How to Deselect Cells in Excel: A Complete Guide for All Users

Have you ever selected multiple cells in Excel by mistake and then realized you need to remove just one or two from the selection — without starting over? If so, you’re not alone.

Until recently, deselecting individual cells in Excel wasn’t possible. But with newer versions of Excel (Office 365 and Excel 2019+), this feature is now available — and incredibly useful for anyone working with large datasets, custom formatting, or complex copy-paste operations.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to deselect cells in Excel, when to use it, its limitations, and what to do if you’re using an older version of Excel. We’ll also include bonus tips and tricks to manage cell selection like a pro.

✅ What Does “Deselect Cells” Mean in Excel?

In Excel, deselecting cells means removing specific cells from an already active selection without clearing their contents or starting over.

For example:

You hold Ctrl and click multiple cells
You accidentally select one you didn’t mean to
Now, you want to remove that one cell from the selection

In the past, you would have to start the selection again from scratch. But not anymore — Excel now lets you unselect or deselect cells easily.

✅ Prerequisite: Excel Version That Supports Deselecting

This feature is available in:

Microsoft Excel 365 (Windows and Mac)
Excel 2019 and later
Excel for the Web (limited support)

If you’re using Excel 2016 or earlier, this function is not available, but we’ll cover some workarounds later in the article.

✅ How to Deselect Cells in Excel (Step-by-Step)

Here’s how to deselect cells in Excel on Windows or Mac:

1. Hold `Ctrl` (Windows) or `Command` (Mac)

Start by holding down the Ctrl key if you’re on Windows, or Command if you’re on a Mac.

2. Click to Select Multiple Cells

Click on various cells to build your selection.

3. Click Again to Deselect a Cell

To remove a cell from the selection, simply click on it again while holding Ctrl or Command.

✅ That cell will now be deselected, while the others remain selected.

📌 This also works with cell ranges and entire rows or columns.

✅ Use Cases for Deselecting Cells

Here are some common scenarios where deselecting is useful:

Scenario	Benefit
Applying conditional formatting	Select only relevant cells
Copying specific data to another sheet	Deselect unwanted values
Deleting content without affecting headers	Manually remove protected cells
Highlighting unique entries	Handpick cells quickly without redoing selection
Data cleaning	Remove incorrectly selected data points

Being able to deselect individual cells gives you more control during manual data tasks.

✅ How to Deselect Cells from a Range Selection

If you selected a large range of cells (e.g., A1:F20) and want to remove a few specific ones:

Hold Ctrl and select the whole range
While still holding Ctrl, click again on any cell you want to remove
Repeat as needed to fine-tune your selection

This works with non-contiguous cells, entire rows, or column blocks.

✅ Keyboard Shortcut Summary

Action	Shortcut
Select multiple non-contiguous cells	`Ctrl` + Click (Windows) / `Command` + Click (Mac)
Deselect a single cell	`Ctrl` + Click again (Windows) / `Command` + Click again (Mac)
Select entire row	Click row number or use `Shift + Space`
Select entire column	Click column letter or use `Ctrl + Space`
Deselect all	Click outside the selected range

There is no separate “deselect mode” — simply click again on selected cells while holding Ctrl or Command.

✅ What If Deselect Doesn’t Work? (Troubleshooting)

If you’re unable to deselect cells, try the following:

🔸 Check Your Excel Version

Ensure you’re using Excel 365 or Excel 2019+. Older versions do not support this feature.

🔸 Click, Don’t Drag

Dragging across a selected cell can trigger a new selection. You must click only, not drag, to deselect.

🔸 Make Sure You’re Holding the Correct Key

Use Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac). If you don’t hold the key, Excel will reset the selection.

✅ Workarounds for Older Excel Versions

If you’re stuck with Excel 2016 or earlier, here are a few ways to manage your selection manually:

1. Use the Name Box

Select cells individually using the Name Box by typing:

A1,A3,A5

This selects specific non-contiguous cells without clicking.

2. Filter First, Then Select

Apply a filter to isolate the data you need, then use Ctrl + A to select only visible cells.

3. Use VBA Macro to Deselect Cells

You can create a macro that mimics deselection behavior. For example:

Sub DeselectCell()
Range("A2").Select
End Sub

This isn’t as flexible, but may help in very specific use cases.

✅ Best Practices for Cell Selection in Excel

To avoid selection issues:

✅ Zoom in when working with dense data
✅ Use Ctrl + Click slowly to avoid misclicks
✅ Label important cells using comments or color codes
✅ Use Go To Special (F5 → Special) for advanced selections
✅ Save before complex selection tasks, in case of accidental changes

Being methodical with your selections will save time and reduce frustration.

✅ Combine Deselect with Other Features

Deselecting becomes even more powerful when combined with:

Feature	How It Helps
Conditional Formatting	Fine-tune selected cells for formatting
Copy/Paste Special	Choose exactly what data to move
Cell Styles	Apply custom formatting selectively
Comments and Notes	Target cells for review or feedback
Data Validation	Apply/removal in specific cells only

✅ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

❓ Can I deselect cells using the keyboard only?

Currently, you must use the mouse to click and deselect. There is no keyboard-only shortcut to deselect individual cells.

❓ Does deselecting remove data?

No. Deselecting only affects your current selection. It doesn’t delete or change the content in the cell.

❓ Can I deselect entire rows or columns?

Yes! While holding Ctrl, click the row number or column letter again to deselect them.

❓ Why does Excel select everything again when I click one cell?

That happens if you don’t hold the Ctrl or Command key. Excel assumes you want a new selection.

❓ Is deselecting available in Google Sheets?

No. As of now, Google Sheets does not support individual deselection. This is a feature unique to modern versions of Excel.

✅ Summary Table: Deselecting Cells in Excel

Action	Supported?	How to Do It
Deselect individual cell	✅ Excel 365/2019+	`Ctrl + Click again`
Deselect multiple cells	✅	Repeat `Ctrl + Click`
Deselect in Excel 2016 or older	❌	Use workarounds
Keyboard-only deselect	❌	Not available
Mac support	✅	Use `Command + Click`

✅ Final Thoughts

Being able to deselect cells in Excel may sound like a minor feature, but it can dramatically improve your workflow — especially when handling large datasets or detailed formatting tasks.

If you’re using Excel 365 or later, take advantage of this function to:

Clean your selections
Improve accuracy
Save time when working with complex data

If you’re still using an older version, consider upgrading or using one of the workarounds provided.