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
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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.
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Step 2. Click File
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Step 3. Click Save As…
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Step 4. Type in a file name
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Step 5. Click the "File Format:" drop-down box
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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.
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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
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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.
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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
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Step 3. Click the Home tab or (Windows) or Edit on the menu bar (Mac).
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Step 4. Click Clear
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Step 5. Click Clear All (Windows) or Format (Mac).
With this option, unnecessary formatting will be removed from unused cells.
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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
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Step 7. Click the Home tab (Windows) or Edit on the menu bar (Mac).
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Step 8. Click Clear
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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
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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.
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Step 2. Click the Home tab at the top of the screen
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Step 3. Click Conditional Formatting
It's in the "Styles" section of the options ribbon.
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Step 4. Click Clear Rules
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Step 5. Click Clear Rules from Entire Sheet
Part 4 of 6: Removing Format from Blank Cells (Windows)
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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.
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Step 2. Click the Home tab at the top of the screen
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Step 3. Click Find & Select
This option is in the " Editing " section of the options ribbon.
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Step 4. Click Go To…
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Step 5. Click Special…
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Step 6. Click the Blanks radio button
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Step 7. Click OK
Now, all blank cells in the data set will be marked.
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Step 8. Click Clear
This option is indicated by an eraser icon.
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Step 9. Click Clear All
Part 5 of 6: Removing Format from Blank Cells (Mac)
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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.
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Step 2. Click Edit
This option is in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
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Step 3. Click Find
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Step 4. Click Go To…
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Step 5. Click Special…
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Step 6. Click the Blanks radio button
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Step 7. Click OK
Now, all blank cells in the data set will be marked.
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Step 8. Click Edit on the menu bar
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Step 9. Click Clear
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Step 10. Click Format
Part 6 of 6: Compressing Images
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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.
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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… ”.
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Step 3. Click on the drop-down menu that is next to the “Picture Quality” option
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Step 4. Choose a smaller image resolution
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Step 5. Check the box " Delete cropped areas of pictures"
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Step 6. Click All pictures in this file
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Step 7. Click OK
The images displayed in the file will be compressed and extraneous image data will be deleted.