Excel Performance Problems

Fix Strange Symbols and Hidden Objects Appearing in Excel

Muhammad Talha Oct 21, 2026 868 views

Question details

Strange symbols or invisible shapes appear when selecting or copying cells, which interferes with data sorting and reduces workbook responsiveness.

How to Remove Strange Symbols and Hidden Objects in Excel

Product: Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Selecting, copying, or sorting cell data in a spreadsheet containing unwanted background elements.
Observed behavior: Invisible drawing objects or empty shapes are unintentionally selected alongside data, triggering sort warnings and causing the workbook to become unstable or unresponsive.

Before you start

Before attempting to delete hidden objects, inspect your worksheet to ensure you do not accidentally remove functional elements like charts, form controls, or important macros that are also classified as objects.

Solution 1Recommended

Use 'Go To Special' to Find and Delete All Objects

This built-in feature allows you to quickly select all objects on the active worksheet simultaneously, making it easy to clear out empty shapes and strange symbols at once.

The Go To Special feature is the most efficient way to isolate non-cell elements across your entire sheet. Since it selects everything classified as an object, it is highly effective for cleaning up invisible shapes that you cannot click manually.

Open Go To Special

Navigate to the Home tab on the Excel ribbon, click on Find & Select in the Editing group, and choose Go To Special from the dropdown menu.

Select Objects

In the dialog box that appears, click the radio button next to Objects, and then click OK. All shapes, symbols, and objects on the sheet will now be highlighted.

Delete unwanted objects

Press the Delete key on your keyboard to instantly remove all the selected objects and clear the invisible symbols from your worksheet.

Use 'Go To Special' to Find and Delete All Objects

Protect Important Elements: Because this method highlights all objects, it will also select your charts, drop-down menus, and macro buttons. To keep these, hold down the Ctrl key and click the essential objects to deselect them before pressing Delete.

Solution 2

Identify Specific Shapes using the Selection Pane

The Selection Pane displays a complete list of all objects on your worksheet, allowing you to pinpoint, hide, or remove specific invisible shapes without affecting essential charts.

Solution 3

Copy Clean Data into a New Workbook

If the workbook remains unstable or the objects are deeply embedded and difficult to isolate, manually migrating your clean data to a fresh file is a reliable workaround.

Efficient Data Management with WPS Office

Quickly Clean Up Hidden Objects with WPS Spreadsheet

WPS Spreadsheet provides a highly compatible and intuitive environment to easily locate, manage, and delete unwanted objects or strange symbols that slow down your work, ensuring your files remain clean and responsive.

1. Open your file in WPS Spreadsheet: Launch WPS Office and open the affected spreadsheet containing the hidden objects.
2. Use the Go To tool: Navigate to the Home tab, click on Find and Replace, and select Go To from the menu.
3. Highlight and delete: Check the Objects option in the Go To dialog to highlight all shapes and symbols on the sheet, deselect any important charts, and press Delete.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx and .xls) formatsBuilt-in Selection Pane and Go To tools for precise object managementLightweight design ensures smooth performance even with large, complex datasetsCompletely free to download with a familiar, easy-to-use interface

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are there hidden shapes and invisible objects in my Excel file?

Hidden objects are often accidentally created when copying and pasting data from websites, PDF files, or other external software. They can also result from drawing transparent shapes or from formatting glitches that leave behind empty object containers.

Can I sort my columns without the hidden objects interfering?

While you can attempt to sort, it is highly recommended to remove the unwanted objects first. If invisible objects overlap with your cell ranges, they can trigger sorting warnings, prevent the sort entirely, or distort your data arrangement.

Will the Selection Pane mistakenly show my formatted columns as objects?

No, standard columns, hidden columns, and cell formatting are not considered objects. The Selection Pane only lists drawing elements such as shapes, text boxes, images, charts, and form controls.

How do I know if an object in the Selection Pane is safe to delete?

If expanding an object or selecting it reveals an empty box with no content, it is likely an accidental artifact. However, always check the name of the object; if it indicates a chart or control button you actively use, leave it intact.

Excel & Data Problems