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When you insert a table in your spreadsheet, Microsoft Excel automatically applies certain formatting to your table. If you’d rather keep your table plain and simple, you can remove its formatting. We’ll show you how.

You can use this method even if you have applied your own custom formatting to your table.

RELATED: How to Create and Use a Table in Microsoft Excel

Clear a Table’s Formatting in Excel

To begin the table format removal process, open your spreadsheet with Microsoft Excel.

In your spreadsheet, click any cell of your table.

Select a cell of a table.

At the top, in Excel’s ribbon, click the “Table Design” tab.

On the “Table Design” tab, in the “Table Styles” section, click the “More” option (a down-arrow icon with a line at the top of it).

In the “More” menu that opens, click “Clear.”

Select "Clear" from the "More" menu.

You’ve successfully removed your table’s formatting.

Tip: To quickly restore your table’s formatting, press Ctrl+Z (Windows) or Command+Z (Mac).

An unformatted table in Excel.

And that’s how you turn your stylized tables into plain regular tables in Microsoft Excel!


Similarly, you can also clear formatting in your Microsoft Word documents.

RELATED: How to Clear Formatting in a Microsoft Word Document

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Mahesh Makvana is a freelance tech writer who specializes in writing how-to guides. He has been writing tech tutorials for over a decade now. He’s written for some of the prominent tech sites including MakeUseOf, MakeTechEasier, and Online Tech Tips.
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