Deleting a Worksheet
Right-click a tab and choose Delete. There is no undo, so check before you confirm.
The One Action Undo Cannot Fix
Almost everything in Excel can be undone with Ctrl + Z. Deleting a worksheet cannot. Once it is gone, it is gone.
- Right-click the tab — The menu appears
- Choose Delete — A warning appears
- Confirm — The sheet is gone for good
How to do it
Right-click the sheet tab ▸ Delete ▸ confirm the warning
Ctrl + Z will not bring a deleted sheet back. Save a copy first if you are unsure.
| Item | What it does |
|---|---|
| Right-click ▸ Delete | The usual route |
| Home ▸ Delete ▸ Sheet | The ribbon route |
| The warning | Only if the sheet has data |
| No undo | This is permanent |
What Breaks When You Delete
Right-click ▸ Delete ▸ permanent, no undo
| Item | What happens |
|---|---|
| The sheet | Gone permanently |
| Formulas pointing at it | Become #REF! errors |
| Named ranges on it | Break |
| Charts using its data | Go blank |
| Ctrl + Z | Cannot bring it back |
Result: No undo
Hide the sheet instead of deleting it, if there is any chance you will want it back.
Do this
- Save a copy before deleting anything important
- Hide a sheet instead if you might need it
- Check what references the sheet first
Avoid
- Assuming Ctrl + Z can undo it
- Deleting a sheet other formulas depend on
- Deleting the wrong tab in a hurry
📌 Other sheets that referenced the deleted one will now show #REF! errors.
Practice
- Add a test sheet and delete it.
- Try Ctrl + Z and see that it fails.
- Hide a sheet instead and compare.
Quick quiz: You deleted a sheet and other formulas now show #REF!. How do you fix it?
- Press Ctrl + Z
- Restore an earlier saved version of the file
- Retype the sheet name into the formulas
Show answer
Restore from an earlier save, or from Version History. — Deleting a sheet is permanent. Your saved file is the only way back.
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