How to Remove Dashes from SSN in Excel?

We’ll use the following dataset, which contains some random SSNs.

Method 1 – Apply the Find and Replace Tool to Erase Dashes from SSNs in Excel

Steps:

Select the data range.
Press Ctrl + H to open the Find and Replace tool.

Put a hyphen(-) in the Find what: box and keep the Replace with: box empty.
Press the Replace All button.

The Find and Replace tool has removed all the dashes from the SSNs. A pop-up message box shows how many replacements were made.

However, the zero (0) digits at the front are gone, too.

Read More: How to Remove Dashes in Excel

Method 2 – Use the SUBSTITUTE Function to Remove Dashes from SSNs in Excel

Steps:

Activate Cell C5 by pressing it.
Insert the following formula in it:

=SUBSTITUTE(B5,"-","")

Hit the Enter button to get the output.

The output without dashes is:

Drag down the Fill Handle icon to copy the formula and remove dashes from other SSNs.

Here are our final results.

Method 3 – Combine LEFT, MID, and RIGHT Functions in Excel to Delete Dashes from SSNs

In Cell C5, insert the following formula-

=LEFT(B5,3)&MID(B5,5,2)&RIGHT(B5,4)

Press the Enter button to get the result.

To copy the formula for the other cells, drag the Fill Handle icon down.

Soon after you will get all the output including zero at the beginning.

⏬ Formula Breakdown:

➥ LEFT(B5,3)
The LEFT function will keep the first three digits of the number in Cell B5. It will return:
“675”

➥ MID(B5,5,2)
Then the MID function will keep the two digits starting from the 5th digit of the number in Cell B5. The output is:
“48”

➥ RIGHT(B5,4)
Later, the RIGHT function will return the last 4 digits of the number in Cell B5 that will return:
“8921”

➥ LEFT(B5,3)&MID(B5,5,2)&RIGHT(B5,4)
And finally, those three previous outputs will be combined using &, as a result, the final output will return:
“675488921”