How to Hide or Unhide Columns or Rows in Excel (with Shortcuts)

Hide and Unhide Rows and Columns in Microsoft Excel (with Shortcuts)

by Avantix Learning Team | Updated January 29, 2022

Applies to: Microsoft^® Excel^® 2013, 2016, 2019 and 365 (Windows)

You can hide or unhide columns or rows in Excel using the context menu, using a keyboard shortcut or by using the Format command on the Home tab in the Ribbon. You can quickly unhide all columns or rows as well.

Some users may want to hide all of the unused columns to the right and unused rows below the data to clean up the workspace and display only relevant information to team members or clients.

You will not be able to hide or unhide rows or columns if the worksheet has been protected with a password (and you don't have the password to unprotect it), if content has been disabled or if the file is read only.

Recommended article: How to Lock and Protect Excel Worksheets and Workbooks

Selecting columns or rows in Excel

It's important to be able to quickly select columns or rows in Excel if you want to hide them.

To select one or more columns in Excel:

To select one column, click its heading or select a cell in the column and press Ctrl + spacebar.
To select multiple contiguous columns, drag across the column headings using a mouse or select the first column and then Shift-click the last column.
To select non-contiguous columns, click the heading of the first column and then Ctrl-click the headings or the other columns you want to select.

To select one or more rows in Excel:

To select one row, click its heading or select a cell in the row and press Shift + Spacebar.
To select multiple contiguous rows, drag across the row headings using a mouse or select the first row and then Shift-click the last row.
To select non-contiguous rows, click the heading of the first row and then Ctrl-click the headings of the other rows you want to select.

To select all rows and columns in Excel:

Press Ctrl + A (press A twice if necessary).
Click in the intersection box to the left of the A and above the 1 on the worksheet.

Hiding columns

To hide a column or columns by right-clicking:

Select the column or columns you want to hide.
Right-click and select Hide from the drop-down menu.

To hide a column or columns using a keyboard shortcut:

Select the column or columns you want to hide.
Press Ctrl + 0 (zero).

To hide a column or columns using the Ribbon:

Select the column or columns you want to hide.
Click the Home tab in the Ribbon.
In the Cells group, click Format. A drop-down menu appears.
Click Visibility, select Hide & Unhide and then Hide Columns.

To hide all columns to the right of the last line of data:

Select the column to the right of the last column of data.
Press Ctrl + Shift + right arrow.
Press Ctrl + 0 (zero). You can also use the Ribbon method or the right-click method to hide columns.

Unhiding columns

To unhide a column or columns by right-clicking:

Select the column headings to the left and right of the hidden column(s). To unhide all columns, click the box to the left of the A and above the 1 on the worksheet or press Ctrl + A (twice if necessary).
Right-click and select Unhide from the drop-down menu.

To unhide a column or columns using a keyboard shortcut:

Select the column headings to the left and right of the hidden column(s) by dragging. To unhide all columns, click the box to the left of the A and above the 1 on the worksheet or press Ctrl + A (twice if necessary).
Press Ctrl + Shift + 0 (zero). If this doesn't work, use one of the other methods.

To unhide a column or columns using the Ribbon:

Select the column headings to the left and right of the hidden column(s). To select all columns, click the box to the left of the A and above the 1 on the worksheet or press Ctrl + A (twice if necessary).
Click the Home tab in the Ribbon.
In the Cells group, click Format. A drop-down menu appears.
Click Visibility, select Hide & Unhide and then Unhide Columns.

To unhide a column or columns by double-clicking:

Select the column headings to the left and right of the hidden columns(s).
Hover the mouse over the hidden column headings.
When the mouse pointer turns into a split two-headed arrow, double-click.

Hiding rows

To hide a row or rows by right-clicking:

Select the row or rows you want to hide.
Right-click and select Hide from the drop-down menu.

To hide a row or rows using a keyboard shortcut:

Select the row or rows you want to hide.
Press Ctrl + 9.

To hide a row or rows using the Ribbon:

Select the row or rows you want to hide.
Click the Home tab in the Ribbon.
In the Cells group, click Format. A drop-down menu appears.
Click Visibility, select Hide & Unhide and then Hide Rows.

To hide all rows below the last line of data:

Select the row below the last line of data.
Press Ctrl + Shift + down arrow.
Press Ctrl + 9. You can also use the Ribbon method or the right-click method to hide the rows.

Unhiding rows

To unhide a row or rows by right-clicking:

Select the row headings above and below the hidden row(s). To unhide all rows, click the box to the left of the A and above the 1 on the worksheet.
Right-click and select Unhide from the drop-down menu.

To unhide rows using a keyboard shortcut:

Select the row headings above and below the hidden row(s). To unhide all rows, click the box to the left of the A and above the 1 on the worksheet or press Ctrl + A (twice if necessary).
Press Ctrl + Shift + 9.

To unhide a row or rows using the Ribbon:

Select the row headings above and below the hidden row(s). To select all rows, click the box to the left of the A and above the 1 on the worksheet.
Click the Home tab in the Ribbon or press Ctrl + A (twice if necessary).
In the Cells group, click Format. A drop-down menu appears.
Click Visibility, select Hide & Unhide and then Unhide Rows.

To unhide a row or rows by double-clicking:

Select the row headings above and below the hidden row(s). To unhide all rows, click the box to the left of the A and above the 1 on the worksheet.
Hover the mouse over the hidden row headings.
When the mouse pointer turns into a split two-headed arrow, double-click.

The method you use to hide or unhide columns or rows is based on personal preference.

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How to Hide or Unhide Columns or Rows in Excel (with Shortcuts)