Google Sheets · Clear the formatting
Formatting
Windows · Linux
Ctrl+\Mac
Cmd+\Strips the formatting — bold, colour, number format — and leaves the contents alone; it is the opposite of Delete, which removes the value.
- Group
- Formatting
- Keys held
- 2
It runs inside the browser, so combinations the browser claims first — Ctrl+W, for one — never reach the sheet. That is why so many Sheets shortcuts use Alt/Option.
Reading the key names
- Keys joined by + are pressed together: Ctrl+Shift+P means hold Ctrl and Shift, then P.
- On a Mac, Cmd is ⌘, Option is ⌥ (labelled Alt on some keyboards), Control is ⌃ and Shift is ⇧.
- Windows Ctrl usually becomes Cmd on a Mac, but not always — this reference lists both combinations separately.
- With a Korean, Japanese or Chinese input method active, shortcuts built on letter keys may not fire. Switch to Latin input and try again.
- When a combination does nothing, another program has often claimed it as a global shortcut first.
Common questions
Q. What is the shortcut for Clear the formatting in Google Sheets?
Strips the formatting — bold, colour, number format — and leaves the contents alone; it is the opposite of Delete, which removes the value. It is Ctrl+\ on Windows and Cmd+\ on a Mac.
Q. Is it the same on Windows and Mac?
No — Ctrl+\ on Windows, Cmd+\ on a Mac.
Q. How many keys is that?
2 pressed together. The combination sits under Formatting in Google Sheets.