How to Unhide Columns in Excel

Quickly display one or more hidden columns in your Excel spreadsheet

This wikiHow teaches you how to display a hidden column in Microsoft Excel. You can do this on both Windows and Mac versions of Excel.

Steps

  1. Image titled Unhide Columns in Excel Step 1
    1
    Open your Excel document. Double-click the Excel document, or double-click the Excel icon and then select the document's name from the home page. This will open your document that has hidden columns in Excel.
  2. Image titled Unhide Columns in Excel Step 2
    2
    Select the columns on both sides of the hidden column. Hold down the ⇧ Shift key while you click the letter above the column to the left and then the column to the right of the hidden column. The columns will be highlighted when you successfully select them.
    • For example, if column B is hidden, you should click A and then C while holding down ⇧ Shift.
    • If you want to unhide column A, select the column by typing "A1" into the "Name Box," which is located to the left of the formula bar.
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  3. Image titled Unhide Columns in Excel Step 3
    3
    Click the Home tab. It's in the upper-left side of the Excel window, at the bottom of the green ribbon here. Doing so will ensure that the Home toolbar is displayed below the green ribbon.
  4. Image titled Unhide Columns in Excel Step 4
    4
    Click Format. This button is in the "Cells" section of the Home tab; you'll find this section on the far-right side of the toolbar. A drop-down menu will appear.[1]
  5. Image titled Unhide Columns in Excel Step 5
    5
    Select Hide & Unhide. This option is below the "Visibility" heading in the Format drop-down menu. Selecting it will prompt a pop-out menu.
  6. Image titled Unhide Columns in Excel Step 6
    6
    Click Unhide Columns. It's near the bottom of the Hide & Unhide menu. Doing so will immediately unhide the column that's between the two selected columns.
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Community Q&A

  • Question
    What do I do if the hidden columns are A and B?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    You can select the whole document and do the steps above to retrieve all hidden columns.
  • Question
    What do I do if I've followed the instructions provided, but I still cannot unhide column A in Excel?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Try unfreezing the column and unhiding, or freezing then unfreezing then unhiding. This process will work.
  • Question
    If column A is hidden in excel, how do I find it?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Just use the search bar on top and type there "A1" the hidden column should appear.
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References

  1. ↑ https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Hide-or-show-rows-or-columns-659c2cad-802e-44ee-a614-dde8443579f8

About This Article

Jack Lloyd
Written by:
Jack Lloyd
wikiHow Technology Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Jack Lloyd. Jack Lloyd is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. He has over two years of experience writing and editing technology-related articles. He is technology enthusiast and an English teacher. This article has been viewed 652,642 times.
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Co-authors: 11
Updated: May 31, 2022
Views: 652,642
Categories: Microsoft Excel
Article SummaryX

1. Open your Excel document.
2. Select the columns on both sides of the hidden column.
3. Click Home
4. Click Format
5. Select Hide & Unhide
6. Click Unhide Columns

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