How to Quickly Hide Columns in Excel Using Shortcuts?

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Are you looking for a quick and easy way to hide columns in Microsoft Excel? Excel provides several simple shortcuts that allow you to hide one or more columns with just a few keystrokes. Hiding columns in Excel can be incredibly useful for a variety of reasons, such as decluttering a busy spreadsheet, hiding sensitive data, or comparing different scenarios.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the most useful shortcuts for hiding columns in Excel, along with step-by-step instructions to help you master these techniques.

Why Hide Columns in Excel?

There are many reasons you may want to hide columns in an Excel spreadsheet:

• To declutter a busy spreadsheet and make it easier to read
• To print a spreadsheet without certain columns appearing
• To hide sensitive data before sharing a file
• To compare different scenarios by hiding alternate data sets
• To focus attention on the most important data

Whatever your reason for hiding columns, Excel’s shortcuts make it fast and simple to do.

Shortcut to Hide a Single Column

One of the quickest ways to hide a single column in Excel is by using a simple keyboard shortcut. Here’s how to do it:

1. Select any cell in the column you want to hide.
2. Press Ctrl + 0 (zero) on Windows or ⌘ + 0 on Mac.

The selected column will instantly be hidden from view. However, it’s important to note that the data in the hidden column is not deleted; it’s simply concealed. In the column headers, you’ll notice that the hidden column is collapsed to a thin line, indicating its presence.

Shortcut to Hide Multiple Columns

In addition to hiding a single column, Excel also allows you to hide several adjacent columns at once using a shortcut. Follow these steps:

1. Click and drag your mouse across the column headers to select the multiple columns you want to hide.
2. Press Ctrl + 0 (zero) on Windows or ⌘ + 0 on Mac.

All of the selected columns will be hidden simultaneously. This technique is particularly useful when you need to hide a range of columns quickly.

Shortcut to Unhide Columns

Of course, there may be times when you need to make a hidden column visible again. Excel provides a simple shortcut for unhiding columns as well:

1. Select the columns on both sides of the hidden column(s) that you want to reveal.
2. Press Ctrl + Shift + 0 (zero) on Windows or ⌘ + Shift + 0 on Mac.

The previously hidden columns will reappear in your spreadsheet. You can use this shortcut to unhide a single column by selecting just the columns on either side of it, or you can unhide multiple adjacent columns by selecting the columns bordering the hidden section.

Navigating to Hidden Columns

After hiding columns in your spreadsheet, you may find yourself needing to select a cell or range within the hidden section. Excel provides some useful navigation shortcuts to help you access hidden columns:

• To select the next visible cell to the right of a hidden column or columns, simply press the → Right Arrow key on your keyboard.
• To select the next visible cell to the left of a hidden column or columns, press the ← Left Arrow key.
• If you want to select the first visible cell after a hidden section, press Ctrl + → on Windows or ⌘ + → on Mac.
• To select the last visible cell before a hidden section, press Ctrl + ← on Windows or ⌘ + ← on Mac.

These navigation shortcuts can save you time and effort when working with spreadsheets containing hidden columns.

Hiding Columns via the Home Tab

While keyboard shortcuts provide a quick way to hide and unhide columns, Excel also offers a straightforward option to hide and unhide columns from the ribbon. Here’s how:

1. Select the column or columns you want to hide.
2. Go to the Home tab on the Excel ribbon.
3. In the Cells group, click on the Format button.
4. Under the Visibility option, choose Hide & Unhide, then select Hide Columns.

To unhide columns using the ribbon, simply select the columns bordering the hidden ones, then go to Home > Cells > Format > Hide & Unhide > Unhide Columns.

Hiding Columns in Excel Tables

If your data is formatted as an Excel table, hiding columns becomes even more straightforward:

1. Hover your mouse over the right border of the column header you want to hide.
2. Click on the filter drop-down arrow that appears.
3. Uncheck the “Select All” option at the top of the drop-down list to hide the entire column.

To unhide a table column, simply re-check the “Select All” option or select the specific items you want to display.

Hiding Filtered Columns

In some cases, you may want to hide data that has been filtered out of a column. Excel allows you to quickly hide filtered columns with these steps:

1. Filter your data as desired using Excel’s built-in filtering options.
2. Select the filtered column or columns.
3. Press Alt + ; (semicolon) to select only the visible filtered cells.
4. Right-click on the selected cells and choose Hide.

The rows that don’t match your filter criteria will be hidden, allowing you to focus solely on the relevant data. To unhide the rows, simply clear the filter.

Summary

Excel provides a range of convenient shortcuts and methods for hiding and unhiding columns in a spreadsheet. The most basic shortcuts to remember are:

• Ctrl + 0 (Windows) or ⌘ + 0 (Mac) to hide the selected column(s)
• Ctrl + Shift + 0 (Windows) or ⌘ + Shift + 0 (Mac) to unhide columns adjacent to the selection

In addition to these shortcuts, you can access the hide and unhide commands through the Home tab on the Excel ribbon. For Excel tables, you can quickly show or hide columns using the filter drop-down arrows. And when working with filtered data, you can select the visible cells, right-click, and choose Hide to collapse the non-matching rows.

By mastering these techniques for hiding columns in Excel, you can take control of your spreadsheet display, making your data easier to analyze, share, and print. Whether you’re decluttering a busy worksheet, protecting sensitive information, or focusing on specific data points, the ability to hide columns is a valuable skill for any Excel user. Try incorporating these shortcuts into your workflow to streamline your Excel experience and boost your productivity.

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Vaishvi Desai

Vaishvi Desai is the founder of Excelsamurai and a passionate Excel enthusiast with years of experience in data analysis and spreadsheet management. With a mission to help others harness the power of Excel, Vaishvi shares her expertise through concise, easy-to-follow tutorials on shortcuts, formulas, Pivot Tables, and VBA.