How to Hide Columns in Google Sheets

Key takeaways

Hiding columns in Google Sheets is a three-step process that you can also apply to rows for the same effect.

• By utilizing the Shift key, you can hide multiple columns at once.

• To unhide columns, you will follow a similar process to the one you previously used to hide the column.

• You can use Google Sheets tutorials to learn how to manage data in your spreadsheet.

Discover how to hide columns in Google Sheets to focus on the key information you’re looking for. Ready to start developing your data analysis skills? Earn a Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate, where you will have the opportunity to learn in-demand skills like data cleaning and visualization, Python programming, data analysis, and more.

Why learn how to hide columns and rows in Google Sheets?

When you work with data in Google Sheets, hiding data or information columns can help declutter your spreadsheet without losing your information. Hiding columns can also be a useful tool to compare two columns or rows that are not next to each other, as you would temporarily hide the information in the middle.

How to hide columns in Google Sheets in 3 easy steps

To help you learn how to hide columns in your Google Sheets spreadsheet, we’ve provided a breakdown of the steps you need to know. Here is a quick guide for how to hide columns:

• Open your Google Sheet.

• Highlight the columns to hide.

• Right-click and choose “Hide columns.”

You can also apply these same steps to learn how to hide rows in Google Sheets by highlighting rows instead of columns. Now, let’s go over each step.

1. Open your Google Sheet.

Begin by opening the Google Sheet that contains the columns you want to hide. If you don't have a specific data set, you can use a sample template provided by Google Sheets or create your own sheet to follow along with this tutorial.

2. Highlight the columns to hide.

Click on the column letter of the first column you want to hide. For example, if you want to hide column E, click on the letter E at the top of the sheet.

Pro tip: If you want to hide multiple columns, press the Shift key while clicking the headers of all the columns you want to hide. You will notice the selected columns getting highlighted. In the image below, we have selected columns E and F.

3. Right-click and select “Hide columns.”

After you select the desired columns, right-click on any of the selected column letters. In the menu that appears, click on Hide columns.

Once you click Hide columns, the columns will disappear from view, allowing you to focus on the relevant data.

How do you make columns collapsible in Google Sheets?

You can make columns collapsible in Google Sheets by first organizing data into groups. To do this, select the rows you want to group, then select View > Group and choose Group Columns. This will give you the ability to both expand and collapse groups of columns by selecting the corresponding plus or minus symbol.

How to hide and unhide columns in Google Sheets

Luckily, unhiding columns follows a similar process to hiding columns. To bring back the hidden columns, select the columns on either side of the hidden columns to ensure the hidden columns are included in the selection.

From here, right-click on any of the selected column letters. Then, in the menu that appears, click Unhide column. The previously hidden columns will now be visible again.

Pro tip: You can unhide columns by hovering over the header row and clicking the left- or right-facing arrows that appear.

Common errors when hiding columns

When hiding columns in Google Sheets, it is important to carefully examine the data you are hiding ahead of time. If you have a large spreadsheet and do not keep track of your hidden information, you may have trouble accessing it when needed. To be cautious, ensure that the columns you hide do not contain critical information you currently need for calculations, analysis, or reports. 

Read more: Google Sheets Automation: A Step-by-Step Guide

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