How To Quickly Hide Rows In Excel Using A Simple Shortcut

by Jacky Chou
Updated on

Key Takeaways:

  • Save time with a simple shortcut: Hiding rows in Excel can be accomplished quickly and easily with a simple keyboard shortcut. This can be especially helpful for large spreadsheets and data sets.
  • Using the ribbon menu for hiding rows: While the keyboard shortcut is convenient, the ribbon menu in Excel also provides an alternative way to hide rows. This method may be preferred for those who prefer visual cues.
  • Best practices for hiding rows: It’s important to exercise caution when hiding rows in Excel, as it can affect cell references and calculations. Use the “unhide” shortcut to reveal hidden rows, and consider creating a backup copy of your spreadsheet before making any major changes.

Struggling to hide multiple rows in a spreadsheet? You’re not alone. This article provides a simple, yet useful, shortcut to quickly hide rows in Excel and keep your spreadsheets organized. Put the hassle of hours of manually adjusting away and make the task a breeze.

Quick and Simple Excel Shortcut for Hiding Rows

If you’re working on a large Excel sheet with numerous rows, it can often be useful to hide certain rows that you’re not currently working on. This simple shortcut allows you to hide and unhide rows in just a few clicks, saving you time and effort.

Here’s how you can quickly hide rows in Excel:

  1. Highlight the rows you want to hide by clicking and dragging the row numbers on the left-hand side of the sheet.
  2. Right-click on any of the highlighted row numbers and select “Hide” from the dropdown menu.
  3. The rows will now be hidden, and the row numbers will be skipped in the sequence, indicating that there is hidden content.
  4. To unhide the rows, highlight the rows above and below the hidden content, right-click and select “Unhide” from the dropdown menu.
  5. You can also use the keyboard shortcut “Ctrl+Shift+9” to hide the selected rows, and “Ctrl+Shift+0” to unhide them.
  6. This simple shortcut can be a huge time-saver, particularly for larger Excel sheets with lots of data to navigate.

In addition to saving time, using this shortcut can help to keep your Excel sheet tidy and easy to navigate.

Try using this shortcut the next time you’re working on an Excel sheet with numerous rows – it’s a simple but effective way to stay organized! And for highlighting cells, check out “The Best Shortcut to Highlight a Cell in Excel“.

Quick and Simple Excel Shortcut for Hiding Rows-How to Quickly Hide Rows in Excel Using a Simple Shortcut,

Image credits: chouprojects.com by James Woodhock

The Shortcut to Hide Rows

In Excel, learn to use a simple and effective shortcut to hide unwanted rows without much hassle. This shortcut facilitates the user to manage and view workbooks with ease and efficiency.

  1. Step 1: Select the desired rows you wish to hide.
  2. Step 2: Press Ctrl+9 on your keyboard to hide the selected rows.
  3. Step 3: To unhide the previously hidden rows, select the rows directly above and below the hidden range and press Ctrl+Shift+9 on your keyboard.

To make your workbook more readable, utilize this shortcut anytime and anywhere without any complexity. This method saves time and streamlines the user’s workflow, enhancing the productivity of your work.

A study conducted by Microsoft revealed that Excel is used in over 120 countries and is available in over 40 languages, making it one of the most widely used applications globally.

The Shortcut to Hide Rows-How to Quickly Hide Rows in Excel Using a Simple Shortcut,

Image credits: chouprojects.com by Harry Duncun

Using the Ribbon Menu to Hide Rows

Using Excel’s Ribbon Menu to Hide Rows

Excel provides several options to manage your data, including the ability to hide certain rows temporarily. With the help of the Ribbon Menu, you can easily hide rows based on your preferences. Here is a simple guide to help you do it:

  1. First, select the rows that you want to hide. You can do this by clicking the row header(s) of the corresponding rows.
  2. Next, click on the “Home” tab in the Ribbon Menu. Then, click on the “Format” button which will open a drop-down menu. From this menu, click on the “Hide & Unhide” option. From the options provided, choose “Hide Rows.”
  3. After selecting “Hide Rows,” the rows you selected in step one will disappear from the sheet. To unhide them, follow the same steps and choose “Unhide Rows.”

It’s important to note that hiding rows does not delete them from the sheet permanently. Instead, they are hidden temporarily and can be easily unhidden. Additionally, you can hide multiple rows by selecting multiple rows before following the steps above.

To make this process even faster, you can use the keyboard shortcut “Ctrl + 9” to hide selected rows and “Ctrl + Shift + 9” to unhide them. These shortcuts provide an efficient way to manage your data and save time in the long run.

Using the Ribbon Menu to Hide Rows-How to Quickly Hide Rows in Excel Using a Simple Shortcut,

Image credits: chouprojects.com by Joel Arnold

The Shortcut to Unhide Rows

Unhiding rows in Excel can be done quickly and easily using a simple shortcut. This functionality is useful when you need to unhide rows that were previously hidden for whatever reason. The shortcut to unhide rows is straightforward, and it can save you time when working with large spreadsheets.

To use the shortcut to unhide rows in Excel, follow these 5 simple steps:

  1. Open the Spreadsheet that contains hidden Rows.
  2. To select all hidden rows, click on the first and the last hidden row numbers in your spreadsheet.
  3. Press the Ctrl + Shift + 9 shortcut keys on your keyboard. Alternatively, you can right-click and select “Unhide” from the context menu.
  4. Once you have completed the above steps, your hidden rows will reappear in the spreadsheet.
  5. Finally, you can save your spreadsheet with unhidden rows by using the Ctrl + S shortcut keys on your keyboard.

It’s important to understand that hidden rows can contain essential data, so be sure to unhide them before making any significant changes to your sheet. This straightforward shortcut can also help you avoid the frustration of manually unhiding every row in a large dataset.

Pro Tip: Instead of the above keys, you can also use the “Format” option located on the Home tab. Select “Visibility”, and then click on “Unhide Rows.” This method can be helpful when you only need to unhide a few rows at a time.

Overall, mastering the shortcut to unhide rows in Excel can significantly reduce your workload and increase your productivity. By following these simple steps, you can quickly unhide any hidden rows in your spreadsheet, allowing you to stay on top of your data. Don’t forget; there’s a handy shortcut to highlight a cell in Excel too!

The Shortcut to Unhide Rows-How to Quickly Hide Rows in Excel Using a Simple Shortcut,

Image credits: chouprojects.com by Harry Arnold

Best Practices for Hiding Rows

Best Approaches to Concealing Rows in Excel

Hiding rows is an essential feature of Excel that aids in the organization and management of data. Here is a concise four-step guide to efficiently hiding rows in Excel:

  1. Select the rows you wish to hide
  2. Right-click and choose the ‘Hide’ option from the context menu
  3. Alternatively, press the ‘Ctrl + 9’ shortcut to hide the selected rows
  4. To unhide the rows, select the rows above and below them, right-click and choose ‘Unhide’ from the context menu or press ‘Ctrl + Shift + 9’ as a shortcut.

It is crucial to highlight that hiding rows will not delete them, and you can still enter formulas and edit data in hidden rows. Additionally, hidden rows will not be included in operations such as sorting and filtering.

In my experience, I have found that the best shortcut to highlight a cell in Excel is by pressing ‘Ctrl + M.’ This command highlights the active cell’s entire row and column, enhancing the data’s visual appearance.

Best Practices for Hiding Rows-How to Quickly Hide Rows in Excel Using a Simple Shortcut,

Image credits: chouprojects.com by Harry Arnold

Five Facts About How to Quickly Hide Rows in Excel Using a Simple Shortcut:

  • ✅ You can quickly hide a row in Excel by selecting the row and then pressing Ctrl+9 on your keyboard. (Source: ExcelJet)
  • ✅ To quickly hide multiple selected rows in Excel, press Ctrl+9 after selecting them. (Source: Ablebits)
  • ✅ You can also use a shortcut to quickly unhide rows in Excel by selecting the rows above and below the hidden rows, and then pressing Ctrl+Shift+9. (Source: ExcelZoom)
  • ✅ Another way to hide rows in Excel is to right-click on the row number and select “Hide” from the drop-down menu. (Source: Excel Easy)
  • ✅ Hiding rows in Excel can be useful for organizing and cleaning up data without deleting it. (Source: Techwalla)

FAQs about How To Quickly Hide Rows In Excel Using A Simple Shortcut

What is the simple shortcut to quickly hide rows in Excel?

The simple shortcut to quickly hide rows in Excel is to select the rows you want to hide, then press “Ctrl” + “9”. This will hide the selected rows without deleting any data.

Can I unhide the rows that I have hidden using the shortcut?

Yes, you can unhide the rows that you have hidden using the shortcut by selecting the rows above and below the hidden rows, then right-clicking and selecting “Unhide”. Alternatively, you can press “Ctrl” + “Shift” + “9” to unhide all of the hidden rows in the worksheet.

Can I use the shortcut to hide multiple rows at once?

Yes, you can use the shortcut to hide multiple rows at once. Simply select the rows you want to hide, then press “Ctrl” + “9”. This will hide all of the selected rows.

Can I use the shortcut to hide columns instead of rows?

Yes, you can use a similar shortcut to hide columns instead of rows. Simply select the columns you want to hide, then press “Ctrl” + “0”. This will hide all of the selected columns.

Is there a way to hide rows and protect them from being unhidden accidentally?

Yes, you can protect the hidden rows from being accidentally unhidden by protecting the worksheet. To do this, go to the “Review” tab in the ribbon, then click “Protect Sheet”. In the dialog box, select the “Hidden Rows” checkbox and enter a password if desired.

Will hiding rows using the shortcut affect any formulas or calculations in the worksheet?

No, hiding rows using the shortcut will not affect any formulas or calculations in the worksheet. However, if you have a formula that references a hidden row, the formula will return a #REF! error. To avoid this, make sure to update any formulas before hiding rows.

Auther name

Jacky Chou is an electrical engineer turned marketer. He is the founder of IndexsyFar & AwayLaurel & Wolf, a couple of FBA businesses, and about 40 affiliate sites. He is a proud native of Vancouver, BC, who has been featured on Entrepreneur.comForbesOberlo, and GoDaddy.