Excel How to Remove Subtotals: 3 Quick Ways

To remove subtotals in Excel, select any cell in the data range, go to the Data tab, and click Subtotal (in the Outline group), then click Remove All. This deletes all subtotal rows and the outline symbols, leaving only your original data. If you only want to hide the subtotals temporarily, you can collapse the outline or clear the outline symbols without deleting the rows.

What Excel Subtotals Are and How They Work

The Subtotal feature in Excel (Data tab > Outline group > Subtotal) automatically inserts summary rows into a sorted list. It groups data by a chosen column and applies a function—usually Sum, but also Count, Average, Min, Max, or Product—to numeric columns. When you add subtotals, Excel also creates an outline on the left side of the worksheet with plus/minus buttons and level numbers (1, 2, 3). This outline lets you collapse or expand groups, and it’s part of the same feature.

Subtotals are different from the SUBTOTAL function you type manually. The feature inserts rows with formulas like =SUBTOTAL(9,C2:C5), and it adds a Grand Total row at the end. The outline structure is what makes the rows collapsible. When you remove subtotals, Excel deletes the inserted rows and the outline, but your original data stays intact.

Method 1: Remove All Subtotals (The Standard Way)

This is the most common method and works in Excel 2010 through Microsoft 365.

Click any cell inside the data range that has subtotals.
Go to the Data tab on the ribbon.
In the Outline group (usually at the far right), click Subtotal.
In the dialog box, click Remove All at the bottom left.
Click OK. All subtotal rows and the grand total row are deleted, and the outline symbols disappear.

This action cannot be undone with Ctrl+Z if you’ve made other changes after adding subtotals, but if you do it immediately, Undo will work. If your data has filters, make sure to clear them first, because the Subtotal command may be grayed out when filters are active.

Method 2: Remove Only Some Subtotals (Partial Removal)

Sometimes you want to keep the grand total but remove the group subtotals, or vice versa. The Subtotal dialog gives you control:

Go to Data Subtotal (same as above).
In the dialog, check the box Replace current subtotals.
To remove only the group subtotals but keep the grand total, uncheck Grand total and click OK. This will remove the group rows but keep the grand total row.
To remove the grand total only, uncheck Grand total and click OK—but note that this also removes all group subtotals if they exist. There’s no built-in way to keep group subtotals and remove only the grand total; you’d have to manually delete that one row.

If you have multiple levels of subtotals (e.g., subtotals within subtotals), you can use the Remove All button to clear everything at once.

Method 3: Hide Subtotals Without Deleting (Using Outline Symbols)

If you don’t want to permanently delete the subtotal rows, you can hide them by collapsing the outline. This is useful if you might need the subtotals again later.

Click the minus sign (-) at the top of the outline column to collapse all groups, leaving only the subtotal rows visible.
Click the number 2 at the top of the outline column to show only the subtotal rows (and grand total).
Click the number 3 to show all rows again.

To remove the outline symbols without deleting the subtotal rows, go to Data > Outline > Ungroup > Clear Outline. This removes the plus/minus buttons and the level numbers, but the subtotal rows remain as regular rows. You can then manually delete them if you want.

Common Problems and How to Avoid Them

Several issues can trip you up when removing subtotals:

Subtotal button is grayed out. This usually happens if your data is in an Excel Table (Insert > Table) or if filters are active. Convert the table back to a range (Table Design > Tools > Convert to Range) and clear any filters, then try again.
Data is not sorted. The Subtotal feature requires that the column you group by is sorted, otherwise the subtotals will be placed incorrectly. If you remove subtotals and re-add them, make sure to sort first.
Subtotals are not being removed. If you have multiple ranges with subtotals, you need to select a cell in each range and repeat the process. The feature only works on one contiguous range at a time.
Outline symbols are still visible. After removing subtotals, the outline should disappear. If it doesn’t, go to Data > Outline > Ungroup > Clear Outline.
Accidentally deleted data. Always double-check that you selected the correct range. Removing subtotals only deletes the inserted rows, not your original data, but if you manually delete rows, you could lose data. Use Ctrl+Z if something goes wrong.

Subtotals vs. Other Summary Methods

Excel offers several ways to summarize data, and it’s easy to confuse them:

Subtotal feature: Inserts rows with SUBTOTAL formulas and an outline. Best for a quick, one-time summary of a sorted list.
SUBTOTAL function: A formula you type manually, e.g., =SUBTOTAL(9,C2:C100). It can be used anywhere and ignores rows hidden by filters (depending on the function number).
PivotTable: A separate interactive summary table. More flexible and powerful than subtotals, but takes more setup. To remove a PivotTable, you simply delete it—no special steps.
Group & Outline: The outline is part of the Subtotal feature, but you can also manually group rows (Data > Group). To remove manual grouping, select the rows and go to Data > Ungroup > Ungroup or Clear Outline.

If you find yourself constantly adding and removing subtotals, consider using a PivotTable instead—it doesn’t modify your source data and can be refreshed easily.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can’t I click Remove All in the Subtotal dialog?

The Remove All button is always available, but if the Subtotal button itself is grayed out, it’s because your data is in an Excel Table or has filters. Convert the table to a range (Table Design > Tools > Convert to Range) and clear all filters, then try again. Also, make sure only one sheet is selected—if you have multiple sheets selected (grouped), some commands are disabled.

Will removing subtotals delete my original data?

No. The Remove All command deletes only the subtotal rows and the grand total row that Excel inserted. Your original data rows remain untouched. However, if you manually delete rows that contain data, that data is gone. Always use the Remove All button rather than manually deleting rows.

How do I remove subtotals but keep the outline symbols?

You can’t keep the outline symbols after removing the subtotal rows because the outline is tied to the subtotal structure. If you want to keep the ability to collapse/expand groups, you can manually group your rows (Data > Group) instead of using the Subtotal feature. That gives you outline symbols without any subtotal rows.

Can I remove subtotals from multiple sheets at once?

Yes, you can group sheets by Ctrl-clicking the sheet tabs, then go to Data > Subtotal > Remove All. This applies the action to all selected sheets. Be careful: the data ranges must be identical on each sheet, otherwise the command might not work as expected. After finishing, remember to ungroup the sheets.

What’s the difference between Remove All and Clear Outline?

Remove All deletes the subtotal rows and the grand total, and also clears the outline. Clear Outline only removes the outline symbols (the plus/minus buttons and level numbers) but leaves the subtotal rows as regular rows. Use Clear Outline if you want to keep the subtotal values but get rid of the collapsible structure.

How do I remove subtotals in Excel for Mac?

The process is the same: go to the Data tab, click Subtotal (or Subtotal in the Outline group), then click Remove All. The menu names are identical in recent versions of Excel for Mac. If you don’t see the Subtotal button, look under Data > Outline, or use the search feature in the ribbon (Cmd+F) and type “Subtotal”.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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