How to delete smart tags in Excel

Smart tags can be very useful in Excel to quickly change the actions a spreadsheet performs on data. It appears automatically when working in Excel but you can delete each of these smart tags if not used.

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What is a smart tag?

A smart tag is a small button that appears when importing or selecting data on a spreadsheet. This button provides actions based on data in the cells. The image below is a smart tag for Paste Options that appears when pasting data.

When you click on the smart tag, you will see other paste options.

All smart tags work the same way. The option you see will depend on the smart tag and the data in the cell.

They provide a quick way to change the Excel actions performed on data. Excel has several smart tags: Paste Options, AutoFill, Flash Fill, Error checking and Quick Analysis.

Smart tag is only temporary. They appear immediately when you select, type or paste data into a cell and disappear when performing another task.

How to delete smart tags in Excel

If you don't use smart tag, you can delete it. Deleting smart tags will prevent them from appearing in Excel until they are re-enabled. This change will affect all workbooks, not just the current one.

Each smart tag in Excel has its own settings that need to be disabled. This is great because you can disable specific unused smart tags without removing all smart tags.

You can delete all smart tags from the options window in Excel. To open this window, click File> Options .

Paste Options and AutoFill

To remove the Paste Options button, click Advanced and uncheck Show Paste Options Button When Content Is Pasted .

This setting will remove smart tags for both paste and auto-fill options.

Flash Fill

By default, when typing, Flash Fill can provide suggestions for data entry.

When Flash Fill performs the action, the smart tag appears so you can undo the proposal.

If you don't want this automatic Flash Fill action, you can turn it off. From the Advanced menu, uncheck Automatically Flash Fill .

Error Checking

Excel runs some basic error checking when writing a formula and if it believes you made an error, a smart tag and a green arrow will appear.

This does not mean that you made an error. Excel is querying the formula because it may be inconsistent or unusual in usage.

From the Formulas list, uncheck Enable Background Error Checking .

Quick Analysis Tools

The Smart Analysis option Smart tag appears when selecting a range of values ​​on a spreadsheet. It provides a quick way to create a chart, apply a Conditional Formatting rule in Excel, or use other analysis features.

If you do not use this feature, you can delete it. In General , uncheck Show Quick Analysis Options on Selection .

I wish you successful implementation!