Rows and Columns

Insert or Delete Rows and Columns

Insert and delete rows and columns to organize your worksheet better.

Insert or Delete a Column

• Select any cell within the column, then go to Home > Insert > Insert Sheet Columns or Delete Sheet Columns.
• Alternatively, right-click the top of the column, and then select Insert or Delete.

Insert or Delete a Row

• Select any cell within the row, then go to Home > Insert > Insert Sheet Rows or Delete Sheet Rows.
• Alternatively, right-click the row number, and then select Insert or Delete.

FORMATTING OPTIONS

When you select a row or column that has formatting applied, that formatting will be transferred to a new row or column that you insert. If you don't want the formatting to be applied, you can select the Insert Options button after you insert, and choose from one of the options as follows:

If the Insert Options button isn't visible, then go to File > Options > Advanced > in the Cut, copy and paste group, check the Show Insert Options buttons option.

Select cell contents in Excel

In Excel, you can select cell contents of one or more cells, rows and columns.

Note: If a worksheet has been protected, you might not be able to select cells or their contents on a worksheet.

SELECT ONE OR MORE CELLS

• Click on a cell to select it. Or use the keyboard to navigate to it and select it.
• To select a range, select a cell, then with the left mouse button pressed, drag over the other cells.

Or use the Shift + arrow keys to select the range.

• To select non-adjacent cells and cell ranges, hold Ctrl and select the cells.

SELECT ONE OR MORE ROWS AND COLUMNS

• Select the letter at the top to select the entire column. Or click on any cell in the column and then press Ctrl + Space.
• Select the row number to select the entire row. Or click on any cell in the row and then press Shift + Space.
• To select non-adjacent rows or columns, hold Ctrl and select the row or column numbers.

SELECT TABLE, LIST OR WORKSHEET

• To select a list or table, select a cell in the list or table and press Ctrl + A.
• To select the entire worksheet, click the Select All button at the top left corner.

Freeze panes to lock rows and columns

To keep an area of a worksheet visible while you scroll to another area of the worksheet, go to the View tab, where you can Freeze Panes to lock specific rows and columns in place, or you can Split panes to create separate windows of the same worksheet.

Freeze rows and columns

Freeze the first column

• Select View > Freeze Panes > Freeze First Column.

The faint line that appears between Column A and B shows that the first column is frozen.

Freeze the first two columns

• Select the third column.
• Select View > Freeze Panes > Freeze Panes.

Freeze columns and rows

• Select the cell below the rows and to the right of the columns you want to keep visible when you scroll.
• Select View > Freeze Panes > Freeze Panes.

UNFREEZE ROWS OR COLUMNS

On the View tab > Window > Unfreeze Panes.

Hide or show rows and columns

Hide columns

1. Select one or more columns, and then press Ctrl to select additional columns that aren't adjacent.
2. Right-click the selected columns, and then select Hide.

Note: The double line between two columns is an indicator that you've hidden a column.

Unhide columns

1. Select the adjacent columns for the hidden columns.
2. Right-click the selected columns, and then select Unhide.

Or double-click the double line between the two columns where hidden columns exist.

Split text into diferent columns with the convert text to columns wizard

1. Select the cell or column that contains the text you want to split.
2. Select Data > Text to Columns.

3. In the Convert Text to Columns Wizard, select Delimited > Next.

4. Select the Delimiters for your data. For example, Comma and Space. You can see a preview of your data in the Data preview window.

5. Select Next.

6. Select the Destination in your worksheet which is where you want the split data to appear.

7. Select Finish.