Excel Hide Shortcut: Hide and Unhide Rows or Columns

In Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows, press Ctrl+9 to hide the selected row or rows, and Ctrl+0 to hide the selected column or columns. To reveal manually hidden rows, select the rows on either side and press Ctrl+Shift+(; to reveal columns, select the columns on either side and press Ctrl+Shift+).

Excel hide shortcuts at a glance

The shortcut acts on the rows or columns containing the current selection. You do not have to select an entire row before hiding it, but selecting the row or column headers can make your intent clearer, especially when working with several rows or columns.

Hide rows: Ctrl+9
Unhide rows: Ctrl+Shift+(
Hide columns: Ctrl+0
Unhide columns: Ctrl+Shift+)

The unhide combinations are sometimes described by the keys they produce: Ctrl+Shift+9 for Ctrl+Shift+(, and Ctrl+Shift+0 for Ctrl+Shift+). On a standard keyboard, the parenthesis requires Shift with the number key. Keyboard layouts and Windows settings can affect whether these combinations work, so the ribbon commands are a useful fallback.

How to hide rows or columns

Click a cell in the row you want to conceal, then press Ctrl+9. For example, if the active cell is C7, Ctrl+9 hides row 7. To hide several adjacent rows, select cells in those rows or select the row headers, then use the shortcut once. If rows 7 through 10 are selected, all four rows are hidden together.

For columns, select a cell in the column and press Ctrl+0. If the active cell is D4, this hides column D. To select a whole row or column from the keyboard before hiding it, use Shift+Space to select the row or Ctrl+Space to select the column, then use the relevant hide shortcut. Selecting a range of row or column headers with the mouse is often the simplest option for a larger block.

Hiding is useful when a worksheet contains supporting calculations, detail fields, or old periods that are not needed in a presentation. It can also make a wide sheet easier to read without permanently removing information. Consider adding a clear note, grouping related fields, or using a separate report sheet if other people may not realize that hidden information is present.

How to unhide rows and columns

Excel needs a selection that includes the hidden area before the unhide shortcut can reveal it. If row 7 is hidden, select row headers 6 and 8, then press Ctrl+Shift+(; Excel restores the row between them. For a block of hidden rows, select the visible row above and the visible row below the block. For instance, if rows 7 through 10 are hidden, select rows 6 and 11 and use the unhide shortcut.

The same principle applies to columns. If column D is hidden, select the headers for C and E and press Ctrl+Shift+). If several adjacent columns are hidden, select the visible columns on both sides of the hidden block. When the first row or first column is hidden, there is no visible header on one side to select. In that case, select the whole worksheet using the Select All button at the top-left corner where the row and column headings meet, then use the ribbon command to unhide the relevant rows or columns.

You can also restore a hidden row or column through the ribbon. Select the neighboring row or column headers, then choose Home > Format > Hide & Unhide > Unhide Rows or Unhide Columns. Selecting the worksheet first is helpful when the hidden area is at the edge or when you are unsure which rows or columns were concealed. The command changes visibility; it does not clear or replace the cell contents.

Using the ribbon instead of a shortcut

The ribbon route is useful when you cannot remember a key combination, use a keyboard layout that handles the parentheses differently, or need to show a colleague exactly what command to use. In Windows Excel, select the relevant cells or headers and go to Home > Format > Hide & Unhide. Choose Hide Rows, Hide Columns, Unhide Rows, or Unhide Columns as appropriate.

The Format menu also contains row-height and column-width controls. These are not the same as hiding. A row with a very small height or a column with a very small width can look hidden, but the unhide command may not restore it to a normal size. If unhide appears to do nothing, try selecting the affected area and choosing Row Height or Column Width from the Format menu, then enter a suitable value. A typical default row height is not guaranteed because it can depend on font and workbook settings.

Another visual clue is the row or column headings. Hidden rows usually create a jump in the numbering, such as row 6 followed by row 11. Hidden columns create a jump in the letters. A double line between visible headings can indicate a hidden range, though the exact appearance depends on the selection and worksheet display.

What hiding changes—and what it does not

Hide changes whether cells are displayed; it does not delete their contents. A formula can still refer to a hidden cell, and an ordinary SUM calculation generally includes values in manually hidden rows. For example, hiding a row containing a sale does not, by itself, remove that sale from a total. This is a common reason that a displayed list and its total may seem inconsistent.

Some functions can treat hidden rows differently. SUBTOTAL and AGGREGATE offer options that can exclude hidden rows, depending on the function number or option used. Filtering is another separate mechanism: rows excluded by an AutoFilter are not the same as rows manually hidden with Ctrl+9. A worksheet can therefore show different totals depending on whether data is hidden, filtered, or included by the chosen calculation.

Hidden content is also not protected content. Anyone with access to the workbook may be able to unhide rows or columns, inspect formulas, or copy data. If information must be restricted, use appropriate file permissions and security practices rather than relying on hiding. Hiding is a display and organization feature, not a privacy or access-control measure.

When the shortcut seems not to work

First check that the worksheet is active and that the intended rows or columns are actually selected. A selected cell is enough for Ctrl+9 or Ctrl+0, but unhide shortcuts need a selection that reaches the hidden area. If row 7 is hidden and only row 6 is selected, Excel may have no visible selection spanning both sides of the gap. Select the neighboring headers or use the ribbon command after selecting the worksheet.

Other common causes include:

The rows are filtered out. Clear or adjust the filter to bring those records back. The unhide command does not remove a filter condition.
An outline is collapsed. Use the outline level buttons or the plus sign beside the grouped rows or columns to expand the group.
The row height or column width is zero or very small. Set an appropriate height or width instead of relying only on Unhide.
The worksheet is protected. Protection settings may prevent formatting changes, including hiding or unhiding. Check Review > Protect Sheet and the workbook’s protection arrangements.
The keyboard combination is intercepted or differs by layout. Use Home > Format > Hide & Unhide, or check the keyboard layout and Excel version.

If you are unsure whether a row is hidden manually, filtered, or part of a collapsed group, inspect the row headings and the controls around the worksheet. These causes can look similar on screen but require different actions.

Excel on Mac and Excel for the web

On Excel for Mac, the corresponding hide shortcuts are generally Command+Shift+9 for rows and Command+Shift+0 for columns. The unhide combinations use the parenthesis keys: Command+Shift+( for rows and Command+Shift+) for columns. Mac keyboard layouts and system shortcuts can affect key behavior, so use the menus or ribbon if a combination is unavailable. Excel for Mac also provides row and column visibility commands through its menus and ribbon.

Excel for the web supports keyboard shortcuts, but browser and operating-system shortcuts can interfere, and the available behavior can vary with the browser and keyboard. If a shortcut does not respond, use the Home tab’s Format controls to hide or unhide the selected rows or columns. When following instructions written for Windows, do not assume that Ctrl and Command are interchangeable in every Excel command; check the shortcut for the platform you are using.

For a workbook shared across Windows, Mac, and web users, ribbon instructions are often easier to follow than a key combination. The underlying worksheet can be opened on each platform, but the exact menus, keyboard behavior, and available controls may differ. Tell collaborators whether the data is manually hidden, filtered, or grouped if they need to restore a particular view.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the shortcut to hide a row in Excel?
In Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows, select a cell in the row or select the row, then press Ctrl+9. The row is hidden without deleting its data.

What is the shortcut to hide a column in Excel?
Select a cell in the column or select its header, then press Ctrl+0 on Windows. If the key combination is unavailable on your keyboard, use Home > Format > Hide & Unhide > Hide Columns.

How do I unhide a row in Excel?
Select the row headers immediately above and below the hidden row, then press Ctrl+Shift+( on Windows. You can also select the surrounding rows and choose Home > Format > Hide & Unhide > Unhide Rows.

Why can I not unhide a row with the shortcut?
The selection may not include the hidden row, or the row may be filtered out, grouped, protected, or reduced to a very small height. Check which condition applies; unhide shortcuts only restore manually hidden rows.

Does hiding a row remove its values from a total?
No, not from an ordinary SUM simply because the row was manually hidden. Functions such as SUBTOTAL can be set to treat hidden rows differently, so check the function and its options when totals depend on visibility.

Try it: the Date Difference Calculator: days, months, years and weekdays between two dates, with the DATEDIF formulas.

More in How-to basics

Sources: Function behaviour and menu paths: Microsoft Support documentation for Excel. Method & sources

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