Learn How to Unhide Cells in Excel Using Keyboard Shortcuts or the Home Menu

Learn how to hide and unhide columns in Excel using keyboard shortcuts or the Home Menu methods.

Today’s post will illustrate how unhide columns in Excel, as well as hide them.

How to Hide and Unhide Data in an Individual Cell

While Excel does not allow you to Hide and Unhide individual cells using the Hide/Unhide command, here’s a trick showing how to hide just one cell:

1. Choose the cell or cells you want to hide
2. Select Cells from the Format menu and the Format Cells dialog box will appear
3. Select the Number tab
4. From the list of format categories, select Custom
5. Enter three semicolons (…) in the Type box

This causes the information in the cell to disappear, and it won’t print. However, you will be able to see the cell information in the Formula Bar. To unhide that individual cell, enter any other type of information.

Hiding Data in Columns and Rows

Hiding data in columns and rows still allows you to reference the data in formulas and charts. Also, hidden formulas that contain cell references will still update if the data in the referenced cells changes.

How to Hide Data in Excel Using Shortcut Keys

First, we’ll discuss how to hide columns and then we will discuss rows.

How to Hide One or More Columns

The shortcut keys for hiding columns is: [Ctrl] + [zero]. Here are the steps:

1. Choose any cell in the column you want to hide, making it the active cell
2. Press and hold Ctrl
3. Press 0 [zero] while holding Ctrl
4. The entire column with the active cell and any data it contained, will be hidden

Note: Hide multiple columns with this shortcut by highlighting at least one cell in each column you wish to hide, then repeat steps 2 and 3 above.

How to Hide One or More Rows

The shortcut keys for hiding rows is: [Ctrl] + [9]. Here are the steps:

1. Choose any cell in the row you want to hide, making it the active cell
2. Press and hold Ctrl
3. Press [9] while holding Ctrl
4. The entire row with the active cell and any data it contained is hidden

Note: Hide multiple rows with this shortcut by highlighting at least one cell in each row you wish to hide, then repeat steps 2 and 3 above.

How to Hide Columns or Rows Using the Home Menu

This method has three options on how to unhide columns in excel, depending on the object selected when the menu is accessed.

To Hide a Single Column or Row

1. Click on the header of the column or row that you would like to hide and the column or row will be highlighted
2. On the Home tab, in the Cells group, select Format
3. Under Visibility, select Hide & Unhide, and then Hide Columns (or Hide Rows)
4. Under Cell Size, click Column Width or Row Height, and then type 0 in the Column Width or Row Height box
5. The selected column or row and any data is hidden (the header is also be hidden)

To Hide Adjacent Columns or Rows

To hide two or more side-by-side columns or rows:

1. In the column or row header, click and drag across all of the columns or rows you want to hide
2. On the Home tab, in the Cells group, select Format
3. Under Visibility, select Hide & Unhide, and then Hide Columns (or Hide Rows)
4. Under Cell Size, click Column Width or Row Height, and then type 0 in the Column Width or Row Height box
5. The selected column or row and any data is hidden (the header is also be hidden)

To Hide Non-Adjacent Columns or Rows

1. In the column or row header click on the first column or row you want to hide
2. Press and hold Ctrl while clicking once on each additional column or row you want to hide.
3. Release Ctrl
4. On the Home tab, in the Cells group, select Format
5. Under Visibility, select Hide & Unhide, and then Hide Columns (or Hide Rows)
6. Under Cell Size, click Column Width or Row Height, and then type 0 in the Column Width or Row Height box
7. The selected column or row and any data is hidden (the header is also be hidden)

How to Unhide Columns in Excel

To Unhide All Hidden Rows and Columns Simultaneously

1. Select all of the cells by pressing Ctrl+A or the gray Select All button in the upper left corner of the worksheet.

Note that if your worksheet has data and the active cell is above or to the right of the data, Ctrl+A selects the current region. Press Ctrl+A again to select the entire worksheet.

1. On the Home tab, in the Cells group, select Format
2. Do one of the following:
   • Under Visibility, select Hide & Unhide, and then Unhide Columns (or Unhide Rows)
   • Under Cell Size, click Column Width or Row Height, then type the value that you want in the Column Width or Row Height box
3. Under Cell Size, click Column Width or Row Height, and then type 0 in the Column Width or Row Height box

To Unhide the First Row or Column of Your Worksheet

If you’ve hidden the first row or column, take the following steps:

1. Select the first row or column using one of the following:
   • In the Name Box next to the formula bar, type A1
   • On the Home tab, under Editing, click Find & Select > Go To. Type A1 in the Reference box, then click OK. 
2. On the Home tab, in the Cells group, select Format
3. Under Visibility, select Hide & Unhide, and then Unhide Columns (or Unhide Rows)
4. Under Cell Size, click Column Width or Row Height, and then type 0 in the Column Width or Row Height box

If you want to learn how to freeze cells in excel so rows and columns stay visible, click here.