How to hide columns and rows in Excel

A polished spreadsheet shows people exactly what they need and nothing else. Hiding working columns and helper rows keeps your reports clean and presentation-ready, without deleting a single formula.

Step by step

1. Select a cell in each column you want to hide (or select the whole columns).
2. Press Ctrl+0 to hide them.
3. To hide rows instead, select them and press Ctrl+9.
4. To bring rows back, select the rows either side of the hidden ones and press Ctrl+Shift+9.

Tips & troubleshooting

• Ctrl+Shift+0 unhides columns, but Windows often reserves that combination for switching keyboard languages. If it does nothing, select the columns either side, then use Home > Format > Hide & Unhide > Unhide Columns.
• Use the 0 and 9 on the main number row, not the number pad.
• Hidden data still counts in formulas. Use Filters (Ctrl+Shift+L) when you want to exclude rows from view temporarily.

Spot and unhide what is hidden

Hidden columns leave a clue: the letters skip, for example from C straight to F, and a double line appears between them. Hidden rows show the same gap in the row numbers.

• Select the columns on both sides of the gap, right-click and choose Unhide.
• Or double-click the double line between the two headers.
• If column A is hidden, type A1 in the Name Box and press Enter, then choose Home, Format, Hide & Unhide, Unhide Columns.
• To reveal everything, press Ctrl+A twice to select the sheet, then right-click any column header and choose Unhide.

Grouping is often better than hiding

Hidden columns are easy to forget. Grouping does the same job but leaves a visible plus or minus button above the sheet, so anyone can open and close the detail. Select the columns and press Shift+Alt+Right Arrow to group them, and Shift+Alt+Left Arrow to ungroup.

What hiding does not do

• It does not protect anything. Anyone can unhide a column in two clicks. Do not use it to conceal salaries or other sensitive data in a file you send out.
• It does not remove values from formulas. Hidden cells are still calculated and still feed charts unless you change the chart's hidden cell settings.
• It does not stop the data being copied. If you copy a range that spans hidden columns, they are pasted too. Press Alt+; first to select only the visible cells.
• It does affect printing: hidden rows and columns are left out of the printout.

On a Mac

In Excel for Mac press Control+0 to hide columns and Control+9 to hide rows.