Hide Columns or Rows in Excel – Instructions and Video Lesson

Hide Columns or Rows in Excel: Overview

            You can hide columns or rows in Excel that contain sensitive data. You can do this to hide data you need for formulas but don’t want to show in a worksheet, like salary information, for example. Hiding a column or row conceals its display, but still uses its data for formula calculations.

            To hide columns or rows in Excel, first select the columns or rows to hide. Then click the “Format” button in the “Cells” button group on the “Home” tab of the Ribbon. From the drop-down menu that then appears, roll down to the “Hide & Unhide” command. Then click either the “Hide Columns” or “Hide Rows” command from the side menu that appears.

Hide Columns or Rows in Excel – Instructions: A picture of a user hiding selected columns in an Excel workbook.

            To unhide hidden columns or rows in Excel, first select the columns or rows adjacent to and including the hidden columns or rows. The selection you make must completely enclose the hidden columns or hidden rows.

            After making the appropriate selection, then click the “Format” button in the “Cells” button group on the “Home” tab of the Ribbon. From the drop-down menu that then appears, roll down to the “Hide & Unhide” command. Then click either the “Unhide Columns” or “Unhide Rows” command from the side menu that appears.

Hide Columns or Rows in Excel: Instructions

1. To hide columns or rows in Excel, select the columns or rows to hide.
2. Then click the “Format” button in the “Cells” button group on the “Home” tab of the Ribbon.
3. Roll down to the “Hide & Unhide” command in the drop-down menu and then click either the “Hide Columns” or “Hide Rows” command, as needed.
4. To unhide hidden columns or rows in Excel, select the columns or rows adjacent to and including the hidden columns or rows. The selection you make must completely enclose the hidden columns or hidden rows.
5. After making the appropriate selection, click the “Format” button in the “Cells” button group on the “Home” tab of the Ribbon.
6. Roll down to the “Hide & Unhide” command in the drop-down menu and then click either the “Unhide Columns” or “Unhide Rows” command from the side menu that appears, as needed.

Hide Columns or Rows in Excel: Video Lesson

            The following video lesson, titled “Hiding and Unhiding Columns and Rows,” shows you how to hide columns in Excel. This video lesson on how to hide columns in Excel is from our complete Excel tutorial, titled “Mastering Excel Made Easy v.2019 and 365.”