This wikiHow teaches you how to reduce the amount of space a Microsoft Excel file takes up by removing some formatting, compressing images, and saving the file in a more efficient format.
Step
Part 1 of 6: Saving Sheets As Binary Files
Step 1. Open the Microsoft Excel file
Double click the green and white app icon with the letter “ X", click menu " File " and " Open… ”, and select the desired file.
Step 2. Click File
Step 3. Click Save As…
Step 4. Type in a file name
Step 5. Click the "File Format:" drop-down box
Step 6. Click Excel Binary Workbook on segment "Specialty Formats".
Files saved in this format are quite small in size compared to regular.xls files.
Step 7. Click Save
The smaller Excel file will be saved to the computer.
Part 2 of 6: Removing Format from Blank Rows and Columns
Step 1. Open the desired Microsoft Excel file
Double click the green and white app icon with the letter “ X", click menu " File " and " Open… ”, and select the desired file.
Step 2. Select all blank rows
Click the first blank line number, then press and hold the key combination Ctrl+⇧ Shift+↓ (Windows) or +⇧ Shift+↓ (Mac).
The arrow keys are generally in the lower-right corner of the keyboard
Step 3. Click the Home tab or (Windows) or Edit on the menu bar (Mac).
Step 4. Click Clear
Step 5. Click Clear All (Windows) or Format (Mac).
With this option, unnecessary formatting will be removed from unused cells.
Step 6. Select all blank columns
Click the letter of the first empty column, then press and hold the key combination Ctrl+⇧ Shift+→ (Windows) or +⇧ Shift+→ (Mac).
The arrow keys are generally in the lower-right corner of the keyboard
Step 7. Click the Home tab (Windows) or Edit on the menu bar (Mac).
Step 8. Click Clear
Step 9. Click Clear All (Windows) or Format (Mac).
With this option, unnecessary formatting will be removed from unused cells.
Part 3 of 6: Removing Conditional Formatting
Step 1. Open the desired Microsoft Excel file
Double click the green and white app icon with the letter “ X", click menu " File " and " Open…, and select the desired file.
Step 2. Click the Home tab at the top of the screen
Step 3. Click Conditional Formatting
It's in the "Styles" section of the options ribbon.
Step 4. Click Clear Rules
Step 5. Click Clear Rules from Entire Sheet
Part 4 of 6: Removing Format from Blank Cells (Windows)
Step 1. Open the desired Microsoft Excel file
Double click the green and white app icon with the letter “ X", click menu " File " and " Open…, and select the desired file.
Step 2. Click the Home tab at the top of the screen
Step 3. Click Find & Select
This option is in the " Editing " section of the options ribbon.
Step 4. Click Go To…
Step 5. Click Special…
Step 6. Click the Blanks radio button
Step 7. Click OK
Now, all blank cells in the data set will be marked.
Step 8. Click Clear
This option is indicated by an eraser icon.
Step 9. Click Clear All
Part 5 of 6: Removing Format from Blank Cells (Mac)
Step 1. Open the desired Microsoft Excel file
Double click the green and white app icon with the letter “ X", click menu " File " and " Open… ”, and select the desired file.
Step 2. Click Edit
This option is in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
Step 3. Click Find
Step 4. Click Go To…
Step 5. Click Special…
Step 6. Click the Blanks radio button
Step 7. Click OK
Now, all blank cells in the data set will be marked.
Step 8. Click Edit on the menu bar
Step 9. Click Clear
Step 10. Click Format
Part 6 of 6: Compressing Images
Step 1. Open the desired Microsoft Excel file
Double click the green and white app icon with the letter “ X", click menu " File " and " Open… ”, and select the desired file.
Step 2. Open the “Compression” dialog box
To display it:
- On a Windows computer, click the image, then click the “ Format ” and click option “ Compress ” on the toolbar.
- On a Mac computer, click the “ File " and select " Reduce File Size… ”.
Step 3. Click on the drop-down menu that is next to the “Picture Quality” option
Step 4. Choose a smaller image resolution
Step 5. Check the box " Delete cropped areas of pictures"
Step 6. Click All pictures in this file
Step 7. Click OK
The images displayed in the file will be compressed and extraneous image data will be deleted.
