On this page · 13 sections
- Which Excel versions these steps cover
- Shortcuts to hide and unhide columns and rows
- Worked example: hide a cost column and a row
- How to hide columns in Excel
- How to unhide columns in Excel
- How to unhide column A or row 1
- How to unhide all columns at once
- How to hide and unhide rows
- What hiding does and does not do
- Troubleshooting
- For IT teams and businesses
- How eCorpIT can help
- References
Summary. To hide columns in Excel, select the column letters, right-click the selection and choose Hide; in Excel for Windows and Excel for the web you can press Ctrl+0 instead. To unhide, select the columns on both sides of the gap, right-click and choose Unhide, or double-click the double line. Column A has nothing to its left, so type A1 in the Name Box, press Enter, then choose Home > Format > Hide & Unhide > Unhide Columns; in Excel for the web, right-click the column B header and choose Unhide Columns. Microsoft lists no unhide shortcut for Excel for Windows, while Excel for the web uses Ctrl+Shift+0 and Excel for Mac uses Ctrl+Shift+). Rows work the same way with Ctrl+9. Hidden columns still feed formulas, and anyone can unhide them unless the sheet is protected without the Format columns permission. The steps match current Microsoft 365 builds on Windows and Mac, Excel 2024 and Excel for the web.
About this article. For anyone who tidies, shares or protects Excel workbooks. We checked every step, menu path and shortcut on 15 November 2026 against Microsoft Support's Excel help, its keyboard shortcut list and Microsoft Learn's release and lifecycle pages. Labels can differ slightly between versions; no vendor paid for inclusion. Researched with AI assistance and reviewed by our editorial team.
Which Excel versions these steps cover
Microsoft's hide or show page applies to Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows and Mac, Excel 2024 and 2021 on both, and Excel 2019 and 2016; its column A page covers Windows and the web. The newest releases on 15 November 2026 are Microsoft 365 Apps Current Channel Version 2610 (Build 20527.20196) and Office for Mac 16.115, both from 10 November 2026. Excel 2016 and 2019 lost support on 14 October 2025 and Excel 2021 retired on 13 October 2026; the steps still work there, without updates.
Shortcuts to hide and unhide columns and rows
Microsoft publishes a separate shortcut list for each platform, and the lists differ. On a Mac, its editing table gives Cmd+) or Ctrl+) for hiding columns and its outline table gives Ctrl+0.
| Action | Excel for Windows | Excel for Mac | Excel for the web |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hide selected columns | Ctrl+0 | Ctrl+0, Cmd+) or Ctrl+) | Ctrl+0 |
| Unhide selected columns | None listed: right-click, then Unhide | Ctrl+Shift+) or Shift+Cmd+) | Ctrl+Shift+0 |
| Hide selected rows | Ctrl+9 | Ctrl+9, Cmd+( or Ctrl+( | Ctrl+9 |
| Unhide selected rows | None listed: right-click, then Unhide | Ctrl+Shift+( or Shift+Cmd+( | Ctrl+Shift+9 |
| Show or hide outline symbols | Ctrl+8 | Ctrl+8 | Not listed |
Worked example: hide a cost column and a row
Say you share a price sheet but want unit costs off screen during a meeting.
| Row | A | B | C | D | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Product | Units | Unit cost | Price | Margin |
| 2 | Widget | 120 | 4.50 | 7.00 | 2.50 |
| 3 | Gadget | 80 | 11.20 | 15.00 | 3.80 |
| 4 | Gizmo | 45 | 22.00 | 30.00 | 8.00 |
Column E holds =D2-C2, =D3-C3 and =D4-C4. Cell B6 holds =SUM(B2:B4) and cell B7 holds =SUBTOTAL(109,B2:B4); both start at 245 (120 + 80 + 45).
- Select the column C header and press Ctrl+0, or right-click and choose Hide. Column C disappears, but column E still shows 2.50, 3.80 and 8.00, because the formulas still read the hidden cells.
- Select the row 3 header and press Ctrl+9. The Gadget row disappears.
=SUM(B2:B4)still returns 245, while=SUBTOTAL(109,B2:B4)now returns 165 (120 + 45).
Microsoft's SUBTOTAL help explains the difference: function numbers 1 to 11 include manually hidden rows, 101 to 111 leave them out, and rows removed by a filter are always left out. SUBTOTAL is built for vertical ranges, so hiding a column does not change a SUBTOTAL that runs across a row.
How to hide columns in Excel
Excel for Windows and Mac
- Select one or more column letters. To add columns that are not next to each other, hold Ctrl as you select each one; on a Mac, hold Command.
- Right-click the selection and choose Hide.
The same command sits under Home > Format > Hide & Unhide > Hide Columns, in the Cells group. A double line between the neighbouring column letters marks the hidden column.
Excel for the web
Select the column letters and press Ctrl+0, or right-click the selected headers and pick the hide option.
How to unhide columns in Excel
- Select the columns on both sides of the hidden ones. To bring back column D, select C and E.
- Right-click the selection and choose Unhide.
Or double-click the double line between the column letters. With the neighbouring columns selected, Ctrl+Shift+0 unhides them in Excel for the web and Ctrl+Shift+) does the same on a Mac.
How to unhide column A or row 1
With column A or row 1 hidden, there is nothing to its left or above it to select, so Microsoft's fix selects cell A1 directly.
Excel for Windows
- Click the Name Box next to the formula bar, type A1 and press Enter. Or select Home > Find & Select > Go To, type A1 in the Reference box and select OK.
- Select Home > Format.
- Under Visibility, select Hide & Unhide > Unhide Columns, or Unhide Rows for row 1.
If Unhide does not bring it back, the same menu offers Column Width or Row Height under Cell Size: type a value there.
Excel for Mac
Microsoft's column A page does not cover the Mac, but its Mac shortcut list has both pieces: press Ctrl+G to open Go To, type A1 and confirm, then press Ctrl+Shift+) to unhide the selected column (Ctrl+Shift+( for row 1).
Excel for the web
Right-click the column B header and choose Unhide Columns. For row 1, right-click the row 2 header and choose Unhide Rows. If those options are missing, Microsoft's tip is to right-click inside the column or row label itself.
How to unhide all columns at once
- Select the whole sheet with the Select All button in the top-left corner of the grid. On Windows you can press Ctrl+A instead (press it twice if the active cell is inside data); on a Mac, press Cmd+A.
- Right-click any column letter and choose Unhide, or use Home > Format > Hide & Unhide > Unhide Columns.
Microsoft notes that this shows every hidden row or column on the sheet, including any hidden on purpose. Repeat with Unhide Rows for rows.
How to hide and unhide rows
Rows follow the same pattern: select row numbers, right-click and choose Hide, or press Ctrl+9. To unhide, select the rows above and below the gap, right-click and choose Unhide, or double-click the double line. In Excel for the web, Ctrl+Shift+9 unhides rows.
Rows removed by a filter come back when you clear the filter, not with Unhide. Grouped rows or columns, with plus and minus buttons in the margin, are an outline; Ctrl+8 shows or hides those outline symbols on Windows and Mac.
What hiding does and does not do
Microsoft presents hiding as a way to show only the data you need to see or print.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Do formulas that use hidden cells still work? | Yes. Results update as normal. |
| Does SUM count hidden cells? | Yes. SUBTOTAL with 101 to 111 leaves out hidden rows. |
| Can other people unhide my columns? | Yes, unless the sheet is protected without the Format columns permission. |
| Does hiding keep data private in a shared file? | No. The data stays in the file. |
| Do hidden columns print? | No. Only the visible columns print. |
To stop others unhiding columns, protect the sheet. In Review > Protect Sheet, leave Format columns and Format rows cleared: Microsoft lists hiding columns and rows among the commands those options allow. Our guide to locking cells and protecting a sheet covers passwords and Excel for the web. Hidden worksheets are separate: protecting the workbook is what stops people hiding or unhiding whole sheets.
Troubleshooting
- Unhide is greyed out or does nothing. The sheet may be protected. When protection is on, Protect Sheet on the Review tab changes to Unprotect Sheet; select it and enter the password if asked.
- Ctrl+Shift+0 does nothing in Excel for Windows. Microsoft's Windows list has no unhide shortcut; right-click and choose Unhide.
- Column A seems missing and Unhide changes nothing. Check for frozen panes: select View > Freeze Panes > Unfreeze Panes, then scroll left.
For IT teams and businesses
Hiding a column is a display choice, not an access control. Microsoft says worksheet protection is not intended as a security feature, and its Mac page adds that element protection cannot stop users with malicious intent. A workbook sent out with hidden salary or personal-data columns still carries that data.
Before sending a file outside, run File > Info > Check for Issues > Inspect Document in Excel for Windows. The Document Inspector checks for hidden rows and for hidden columns that contain data, and can remove them; Microsoft advises working on a copy, because removing hidden data can change formula results. Inside the organisation, use sheet protection to stop accidental unhiding in shared templates, and keep sensitive data in systems with real access controls.
How eCorpIT can help
eCorpIT is a Gurugram-based technology organisation, founded in 2021, assessed at CMMI Level 5 and MSME certified, with senior-led engineering teams working across AWS, Microsoft and Google platforms. Our data and analytics services team moves sensitive or sprawling spreadsheet data into governed reports and dashboards, so access is set by permissions rather than hidden columns. Talk to us at /contact-us/.
Last updated: 15 November 2026.
