How to quickly Add and Delete rows and columns in Excel

 Maybe you want the data in another column in your spreadsheet (also known as a workbook) or certain rows turn out to be unnecessary. Excel makes inserting and deleting rows and columns easy.

How to Add Rows in Excel

How to quickly Add and Delete rows and columns in Excel Picture 1

When columns and rows containing data are deleted, the data is also deleted. These losses also affect formulas and charts that reference data in deleted columns and rows.

If you accidentally delete columns or rows containing data, use the undo feature to get your data back.

Add rows using keyboard shortcuts

The keyboard key combination used to add rows to the spreadsheet is:

Ctrl + Shift + " + " (plus sign)

Note  : If you have a keyboard with the Numeric Keypad to the right of the regular keyboard, use the  + sign  there without  the Shift key  . The main combination is:

Ctrl + " + " (plus sign)

Before adding a row, tell Excel where you want to insert the new one by selecting its neighbor. This can also be done using the keyboard shortcut:

 Shift + Spacebar

Excel inserts a new row above the selected row.

To add a row using a keyboard shortcut

1. Select a cell in the row where you want to add a new row.
2. Press and hold  the Shift key  on the keyboard
3. Press the  spacebar  without releasing  the Shift key  .
4. The entire row is highlighted.
5. Press and hold  the Ctrl  and  Shift keys  on the keyboard.
6. Press the '  +  ' key without releasing the Ctrl and Shift keys.
7. A new row is added above the selected row.

To add multiple adjacent rows using keyboard shortcuts

Tell Excel how many new adjacent rows you want to add to the spreadsheet by selecting the same number of existing rows. If you want to insert two new rows, select the two existing rows where you want to place the new rows. If you want three new rows, select three existing rows.

To add three new rows to a worksheet

1. Select a cell in the row where you want to add new rows.
2. Press and hold  the Shift key  .
3. Press the  spacebar  without releasing  the Shift key  .
4. The entire row is highlighted.
5. Continue holding  the Shift key  .
6. Press the  Up arrow key  twice to select two additional rows.
7. Press and hold  the Ctrl  and  Shift keys  .
8. Press the '  +  ' key without releasing the Ctrl and Shift keys.
9. Three new rows are added above the selected rows.

Add rows using Context Menu

The option in the context menu (also known as the right-click menu) that adds rows to the spreadsheet is Insert  .

Like the keyboard method above, before adding a row, tell Excel where you want to insert the new one by selecting its neighbor.

The easiest way to add rows using the context menu is to select the entire row by selecting the row header.

To add a row to the spreadsheet

1. Select the row header of a row where you want to add a new row. The entire row is highlighted.
2. Right-click on the selected row to open the context menu.
3. Select Insert  from the menu.
4. A new row is added above the selected row.

To add more adjacent rows

Tell Excel how many new rows you want to add to the spreadsheet by selecting the same number of existing rows.

To add three new rows to a worksheet

1. In the row header, drag with the mouse pointer to highlight the three rows where you want to add new rows.
2. Right click on the selected rows.
3. Select Insert  from the menu.
4. Three new rows are added above the selected rows.

How to Delete Rows in Excel

How to quickly Add and Delete rows and columns in Excel Picture 2

The keyboard key combination to delete rows from a spreadsheet is:

Ctrl + " - " (minus sign)

The easiest way to delete a row is to select the entire row to delete. This can also be done using keyboard shortcuts:

Shift + Spacebar

To delete a single row using a keyboard shortcut

1. Select a cell in the row to be deleted.
2. Press and hold  the Shift key  .
3. Press the  spacebar  without releasing  the Shift key  .
4. The entire row is highlighted.
5. Release  the Shift key  .
6. Press and hold  the Ctrl key  .
7. Press the ' – ' key   without releasing  the Ctrl key  .
8. The selected row will be deleted.

To delete adjacent rows using keyboard shortcuts

Selecting adjacent rows in a spreadsheet allows you to delete them all at once. Selecting adjacent rows can be done with the arrow keys on the keyboard after the first row is selected.

To delete three rows from Excel

1. Select a cell in a row at the bottom end of the row group to be deleted.
2. Press and hold  the Shift key  .
3. Press the  spacebar  without releasing  the Shift key  .
4. The entire row is highlighted.
5. Continue holding  the Shift key  .
6. Press the  Up arrow key  twice to select two additional rows.
7. Release  the Shift key  .
8. Press and hold  the Ctrl key  .
9. Press the ' – ' key   without releasing  the Ctrl key  .
10. The three selected rows will be deleted.

Delete rows using the Context Menu

The option in the context menu (or right-click menu) used to delete rows from a spreadsheet is Delete.

The easiest way to delete rows using the context menu is to highlight the entire row by selecting the row header.

To delete a single row from the spreadsheet

1. Select the row header of the row to be deleted.
2. Right-click on the selected row to open the context menu.
3. Select  Delete  from the menu.
4. The selected row will be deleted.

To delete multiple adjacent rows

Again, multiple adjacent rows can be deleted at once if all of them are selected

To delete three rows from a worksheet

In the row header, drag with the mouse pointer to highlight three adjacent rows.

1. Right click on the selected rows.
2. Select  Delete  from the menu.
3. The three selected rows will be deleted.

To delete individual rows

Separate or non-adjacent rows can be deleted at the same time by selecting them with the  Ctrl key  and the mouse.

To select individual rows

1. Select the row header of the first row to be deleted.
2. Press and hold  the Ctrl key  .
3. Select additional rows in the row header to highlight them.
4. Right click on the selected rows.
5. Select  Delete  from the menu.
6. The selected rows will be deleted.

How to quickly Add and Delete rows and columns in Excel Picture 3

The keyboard key combination to add columns to a spreadsheet is the same as to add rows:

Ctrl + Shift + " + " (plus sign)

Note  : If you have a keyboard with the Numeric Keypad to the right of the regular keyboard, use the  + sign  there without the Shift key. The key combination   becomes  Ctrl  +  +  .

Before adding a column, tell Excel where you want to insert the new column by selecting its neighbor. This can also be done using keyboard shortcuts:

Ctrl + Spacebar

Excel inserts the new column to the left of the selected column.

To add a column using a keyboard shortcut

1. Select a cell in the column where you want to add a new column.
2. Press and hold  the Ctrl key  .
3. Press the  spacebar  without releasing  the Ctrl key  .
4. The entire column is highlighted.
5. Press and hold  the Ctrl and Shift keys  .
6. Press and release '  +  ' without releasing the Ctrl and Shift keys.
7. A new column is added to the left of the selected column.

To add multiple adjacent columns using keyboard shortcuts

Tell Excel how many new adjacent columns you want to add to the spreadsheet by selecting the same number of existing columns.

If you want to insert two new columns, select the two existing columns where you want to place the new columns. If you want three new columns, select three existing columns.

To add three new columns to a worksheet

1. Select a cell in the column where you want to add new columns.
2. Press and hold  the Ctrl key  .
3. Press the  spacebar  without releasing the Ctrl key.
4. The entire column is highlighted.
5. Release  the Ctrl key  .
6. Press and hold  the Shift key  .
7. Press the  right arrow key  twice to select two additional columns.
8. Press and hold  the Ctrl  and  Shift keys  on the keyboard.
9. Press '  +  ' without releasing the Ctrl and Shift keys.
10. Three new columns are added to the left of the selected columns.

Add columns using the context menu

The context menu option used to add columns to the worksheet is Insert  .

Before adding a column, tell Excel where you want to insert the new column by selecting its neighbor.

The easiest way to add columns using the context menu is to highlight the entire column by selecting the column header.

To add a column to the spreadsheet

1. Select the column header of a column where you want to add a new column. The entire column is highlighted.
2. Right-click on the selected column to open the context menu.
3. Select Insert  from the menu.
4. A new column is added to the left of the selected column.

To add multiple adjacent columns

Again, with rows, tell Excel how many new columns you want to add to the spreadsheet by selecting the same number of existing columns.

To add three new columns to a worksheet

1. In the column header, drag with the mouse pointer to highlight the three columns where you want the new columns to be added.
2. Right click on the selected columns.
3. Select Insert  from the menu.
4. Three new columns are added to the left of the selected columns.

Delete columns in Excel

How to quickly Add and Delete rows and columns in Excel Picture 4

The keyboard key combination used to delete columns from a spreadsheet is:

Ctrl + " - " (minus sign)

It's important to note that deleting a column is just that – while there's an option to hide columns, it's an occasional way to get rid of your columns.

The easiest way to delete a column is to select the entire column to delete. This can also be done using keyboard shortcuts:

Ctrl + Spacebar

To delete a single column using keyboard shortcuts

1. Select a cell in the column to be deleted.
2. Press and hold  the Ctrl key  .
3. Press the  spacebar  without releasing the Shift key.
4. The entire column is highlighted.
5. Continue holding  the Ctrl key  .
6. Press and release the '  –  ' key without releasing the Ctrl key.
7. The selected column will be deleted.

To delete adjacent columns using keyboard shortcuts

Selecting adjacent columns in a spreadsheet allows you to delete them all at once. Selecting adjacent columns can be done with the arrow keys on the keyboard after the first column is selected.

To delete three columns from the spreadsheet

1. Select a cell in a column at the bottom end of the group of columns to be deleted.
2. Press and hold  the Shift key  .
3. Press the  spacebar  without releasing the Shift key.
4. The entire column is highlighted.
5. Continue holding  the Shift key  .
6. Press the up arrow keypad   twice to select two additional columns.
7. Release  the Shift key  .
8. Press and hold  the Ctrl key  .
9. Press and release the '  –  ' key without releasing the Ctrl key.
10. The three selected columns will be deleted.

Delete columns using the context menu

The context menu option used to delete columns from the spreadsheet is Delete.

The easiest way to delete columns using the context menu is to highlight the entire column by selecting the column header.

To delete a single column from the spreadsheet

1. Select the column header of the column to be deleted.
2. Right-click on the selected column to open the context menu.
3. Select Delete from the menu.
4. The selected column will be deleted.

To delete multiple adjacent columns

Multiple adjacent columns can be deleted at once if all of them are selected.

To delete three columns from the spreadsheet

1. In the column header, drag with the mouse pointer to highlight three adjacent columns.
2. Right click on the selected columns.
3. Select Delete from the menu.
4. The three selected columns will be deleted.

To delete individual columns

Separate or non-adjacent columns can be deleted at the same time by first selecting them with the  Ctrl key  and mouse.

To select individual columns

1. Select the column header of the first column to be deleted.
2. Press and hold  the Ctrl key  .
3. Select additional rows in the column header to highlight them.
4. Right click on the selected columns.
5. Select Delete from the menu.
6. The selected columns will be deleted

David Pac

Update 01 October 2023