Microsoft Excel provides two useful features which are to hide and unhide columns and rows. Hiding a column will make that column disappear, it is still present in the sheet but will not appear on the screen.
You can unhide the hidden column anytime whenever you want. Hiding a column is useful if there is private data in that column that you don’t want anyone to have a look at. Using the hide and unhide option we can also hide and unhide rows, columns, and sheets. You can unhide that data when you want your private data visible.
Different Methods to Hide the Column in Exce
There are different methods to hide a column in Excel listed below:
- Using the “Hide” option from the context menu
- Using “Ctrl+zero (0)” shortcut
- Set column width as zero
- Using VBA code
How to Hide Columns in Excel
Hiding a column in Excel implies making it invisible so that it is removed from display. Hiding a column doesn’t mean that it is deleted from the worksheet. Hiding a column just means that it does exist and has been only temporarily held from view. Excel gives you a feature in which you can hide both contiguous and non-contiguous columns. But you have to unhide the column to use the column again.
How to Hide a Column Using Ribbon in Excel
Follow the steps mentioned below:
Step 1: Select the first cell of the column, here we are selecting A1. Then, in the home got to format in the cells. In format choose Hide & Unhide in Visibility.
Step 2: In Hide & Unhide select Hide Columns.
Now Column A will not appear on the screen.
How to Hide Columns in Excel using Shortcut
Below is the Datset in which you want to Hide columns B and C.
Step 1: Select the column B and drag it to the column C to select both of the columns.
Step 2: After Selecting the Columns you want to hide, Press “Ctrl+zero(0) “ together.
You can see the result below, after hiding the columns.
How to Hide Columns Using a Context Menu in Excel
If in case you don’t remember the hotkeys you can also use another simple way to hide columns in Excel, Follow the below steps:
Step 1: Select the columns you want to hide.
Step 2: Right-click the selection and select the Hide option from the menu.
How to Hide Excel Columns by Setting the Column Width as Zero
Now In the same Dataset, you want to hide columns C.
Follow the steps to hide column C by Setting the width as Zero.
Step 1: Select the Column you want to hide.
Step 2: Right-click on the Selected column, Choose “Column width”, set it to 0, and click “ok”.
Now, You can see in the below image column C is hidden.
How to Hide Column Using VBA Code
If you want to hide Columns B and C in the same dataset but with the help of VBA code.
Follow the steps to hide the columns with the help of the VBA code.
Step 1: Click on the Developer tab in the Ribbon, and click “Visual Basic”.
Note: If Developer Tab is not in the Ribbon, then you have to turn it on.
Step 2: In the Visual Basic application window, Double- click on “sheet1”. Next from the Insert tab, click “procedure”. Specify the name of the procedure and write the code:
Sub hiding_column()
Worksheets( “Sheet4”).Columns(“B:C).hidden = True
End sub
Step 3: Now Save the file with the .xlsm extension as it supports macros.
Step 4: Form the Run tab, click Run sub/user form.” The output is shown in the below image.
How to Hide Unused Column in Excel
To focus on your data and hide empty columns:
Step 1: Select the column after your last data column.
Use Ctrl + Shift + Right Arrow to highlight all empty columns to the right.
Step 2: Press Ctrl + 0 to hide these columns.
This keeps your workspace tidy, showing only what’s important to users.
How to Hide and Show Columns using the Group Feature
Step 1: Select the columns you want to group (or hide)
Step 2: Click on the Data Tab and Select Group
Step 3: Choose Columns from the dialog box
Step 4: Select the – icon to hide the Columns
Step 5: Preview the Result
How to Hide Columns with + Sign
You can hide columns with – sign and Expand the Columns with + Sign Using the Above Grouping Feature in Excel
To Hide Columns Use – Sign
To Unhide Use + Sign
FAQs
What is Hiding Column in Excel?
Hiding a column in Excel implies making it invisible so that it is removed from display. Hiding a column doesn’t mean that it is deleted from the worksheet. Hiding a column just means that it does exist and has been only temporarily held from view.
What is the shortcut to Hide or unhide the rows and columns?
Right-click the selected rows or columns and select hide or unhide from the menu.
What is the motive for hiding or unhiding the rows and columns in Excel?
It’s Sometimes better to hide or unhide rows or columns in case of heavy spreadsheets to make better decisions after analyzing the data.
Deleting the rows and columns, again and again, will confuse the user.
What are the shortcuts to hide or unhide a workbook?
To unhide a workbook >Alt+W+H
To hide a workbook> Alt+W+U