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Excel Remove Spaces

By Pradeep SPradeep S

Remove Spaces in Excel

Excel Remove Spaces (Table of Contents)

Introduction to Remove Spaces in Excel

There are multiple ways to remove spaces in excel. The first way we can remove the extra unwanted spaces with the help of the FIND and REPLACE option (Ctrl + H). There we need to put a space and replace that with Blank (Nothing kept). This removes the spaces anywhere from the selected cells. In another way, we can remove the spaces by using a TRIM function. This removes the spaces which are there at the start and end of the selected cell content. And we can also use the SUBSTITUTE function, where we can substitute space with blank to remove spaces completely.

Different Types Of Spaces

  • It may contain extra spaces before text strings in cells; these spaces are called Leading spaces.

Leading Space

  • It may contain extra spaces after text strings in cells; these spaces are called Trailing spaces.

Trailing space

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  • Datasets may contain extra in-between spaces, i.e.additional spaces in between text.

Extra in-between space

  • Datasets may also contain Line breaks with extra space.

Line breaks with extra space

We can get rid of these types of spaces quickly & easily with the below-mentioned options:

  • FIND AND REPLACE
  • TRIM Function
  • SUBSTITUTE Function
  • CLEAN and TRIM function to Remove Extra Space of Line Break in excel

TRIM Function

TRIM function is a prebuilt integrated function categorized under Text functions. It Removes all extra spaces from text except a single space between words in excel.

The syntax or formula for the TRIM function in Excel is:

TRIM Formula

Trim function in Excel has only one compulsory argument or parameter, i.e. text.

  • Text: It is cell content from where you need to remove extra spaces in excel.

The TRIM function only removes the ASCII space character (32) from the text.

How to Remove Extra Spaces in Excel?

Remove extra spaces in Excel is very simple and easy. Let’s understand the working of removing extra spaces in excel with the help of some examples.

You can download this Remove Spaces Excel Template here – Remove Spaces Excel Template

Example #1 – Remove Excel Spaces with the help of Find and Replace

In the below-mentioned example, I have a dataset in column D that contains all three types of extra spaces, i.e. Leading spaces, Trailing spaces & Extra in-between spaces.

For reference, I have done a number of character count for the column D datasets. With the help of the LEN function in column E., I have taken this raw data to another new column (column H) to apply the Find and Replace task.

Example 1

Now, I have to select the cell range where the Find and Replace parameter needs to be applied to remove extra spaces in excel.

Remove Spaces Example 1-2

Now, to activate the find and replace option, press the shortcut key Ctrl + H, find and replace window appears.

Remove Spaces Example 1-3

In Find what: input bar, insert a blank space with the help of the space bar once, and in Replace with no need to input anything, it should remain blank. Click on the Replace All button.

Remove Spaces Example 1-4

It replaces all the blank spaces in the cell.

Remove Spaces Example 1-5

You can find a difference in character count between both datasets. Where Find and Replace remove all the blank spaces. In extra in-between spaces content also, it has removed all the blank spaces without retaining a single space between words (This can be rectified with the help of TRIM function).

Result of Example 1

Note: This method is only used when you want to remove a leading & trailing type of extra spaces from selected cells or to remove all the spaces in the data range from excel completely.

Example #2 – Remove Excel Spaces with the help of TRIM Function

In the below-mentioned example, I have a dataset in column D that contains all three types of extra spaces, i.e. leading spaces, trailing spaces & extra in-between spaces.

For reference, I have done a number of character count for the column D datasets. With the help of the LEN function in column E., I have taken this raw data to another new column (column G) to apply the TRIM Function. The Excel TRIM function removes all spaces from text except a single space between words.

Example 2

Now, In cell H4, let’s apply a TRIM function.

Remove Spaces Example 2-2

In the Formulas tab, click the Text drop-down menu in the Functions section and select TRIM.

Remove Spaces Example 2-3

Now the function argument dialog box appears, click on the cell G4, which contains the text where I would like to remove spaces to complete the function, then click on OK.

Remove Spaces Example 2-4

Now, you can observe in cell H4, where trim function removes leading space in that cell.

Remove Spaces Example 2-5

Similarly, a TRIM function is applied to other range by selecting the cell H4 and drag it to H9 and click Ctrl+D to apply to the rest of the cells.

Remove Spaces Example 2-6

You can find a difference in character count between both datasets where TRIM Function removes all spaces before and after the text in the cell (i.e. G4, G5, G6 & G7) & consecutive spaces in the middle of a string in the cell G8 & G9.

Result of Example 2

Example #3 – Remove Excel Spaces with the help of SUBSTITUTE Function

It will remove all the extra excel spaces, including single spaces between words or numbers.

In the below-mentioned example, I have a dataset in column D that contains all three types of extra spaces, i.e. leading spaces, trailing spaces & extra in-between spaces.

For a reference purpose, I have done a number of character count for the column D datasets. With the help of the LEN function in column E., I have taken this raw data to another new column (column G) to apply the SUBSTITUTE Function.

Example 3

Now, In cell H4, let’s apply the SUBSTITUTE Function.

Remove Spaces Example 3-2

In a Formulas tab, click the Text drop-down menu in the Functions section and select SUBSTITUTE.

Remove Spaces Example 3-3

Now the function argument dialog box appears:

  • Text Click on the first cell in the column that you need to be changed.
  • In the Old_text, I need to enter the character that needs to be replaced; it should be entered between double-quotes. i.e. for removal of spaces, it will be ” “.
  • Here, in the New text, I don’t want to replace anything; therefore, it is typed as “”.

Remove Spaces Example 3-4

Now, you can observe in cell H4, where the Substitute function removes leading space in that cell.

Remove Spaces Example 3-5

SUBSTITUTE Function is applied to other ranges by selecting the cell H4 and drag it till H9 and click Ctrl+D so that it is applied to other cells.

Remove Spaces Example 3-6

You can find a difference in character count between both datasets. Substitute Function removes all the blank spaces; in extra in-between spaces content, it has removed all the blank spaces without retaining a single space between words.

Result of Example 3

Things to Remember about Excel Remove Spaces

  • Since the extra space is also a character, therefore in ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) encoding, it has code number 32.
  • Sometimes, the data appears as line breaks which may contain extra spaces between words; To remove those extra space, we can combine Excel TRIM and CLEAN function to Remove the Extra Space of Line Break.

Recommended Articles

This has been a guide to Remove Spaces in Excel. Here we discuss how to Remove Extra Spaces in Excel along with practical examples and a downloadable excel template. You can also go through our other suggested articles –

  1. Address Excel Function
  2. SUBSTITUTE Function in Excel
  3. LEN Function in Excel
  4. Excel SEARCH Function
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