Be able to hide and display rows and columns

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Cambridge IGCSE ICT 0417 – Spreadsheets: Hide and Display Rows and Columns

Spreadsheets – Hiding and Displaying Rows and Columns

Learning Objective

By the end of this lesson you will be able to:

  • Hide selected rows or columns in a worksheet.
  • Unhide (display) rows or columns that have been hidden.
  • Use keyboard shortcuts and menu commands to perform these actions efficiently.

Why Hide Rows or Columns?

Hiding rows or columns can make a worksheet easier to read and present:

  • Remove intermediate calculations that are not needed for the final report.
  • Conceal data that is irrelevant to a particular audience.
  • Reduce scrolling when working with very large data sets.

How to Hide Rows

Follow these steps in most spreadsheet programs (e.g., Microsoft Excel, LibreOffice Calc):

  1. Select the entire row(s) you wish to hide by clicking the row heading(s).
  2. Right‑click the selected heading(s) and choose Hide from the context menu.
  3. Alternatively, use the ribbon/menu: Home ► Cells ► Format ► Hide & Unhide ► Hide Rows.
  4. Keyboard shortcut (Excel): Ctrl + 9.

How to Display (Unhide) Rows

To reveal rows that have been hidden:

  1. Select the rows immediately above and below the hidden row(s). For example, if row 5 is hidden, select rows 4 and 6.
  2. Right‑click the selected headings and choose Unhide.
  3. Or use the ribbon/menu: Home ► Cells ► Format ► Hide & Unhide ► Unhide Rows.
  4. Keyboard shortcut (Excel): Ctrl + Shift + 9.

How to Hide Columns

  1. Select the column heading(s) you wish to hide.
  2. Right‑click and choose Hide.
  3. Or use the ribbon/menu: Home ► Cells ► Format ► Hide & Unhide ► Hide Columns.
  4. Keyboard shortcut (Excel): Ctrl + 0 (may require enabling in options).

How to Display (Unhide) Columns

  1. Select the columns immediately to the left and right of the hidden column(s). For example, select columns B and D to unhide column C.
  2. Right‑click and choose Unhide.
  3. Or use the ribbon/menu: Home ► Cells ► Format ► Hide & Unhide ► Unhide Columns.
  4. Keyboard shortcut (Excel): Ctrl + Shift + 0 (may require enabling in options).

Summary of Commands

Action Menu Path Keyboard Shortcut (Excel)
Hide Row(s) Home ► Cells ► Format ► Hide & Unhide ► Hide Rows Ctrl + 9
Unhide Row(s) Home ► Cells ► Format ► Hide & Unhide ► Unhide Rows Ctrl + Shift + 9
Hide Column(s) Home ► Cells ► Format ► Hide & Unhide ► Hide Columns Ctrl + 0
Unhide Column(s) Home ► Cells ► Format ► Hide & Unhide ► Unhide Columns Ctrl + Shift + 0

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

  • Selecting the wrong range: Always include at least one visible row/column on each side of the hidden area before using Unhide.
  • Keyboard shortcuts not working: In some versions, shortcuts for columns are disabled by default; enable them in the program’s options.
  • Accidentally hiding the entire worksheet: If you select all rows/columns and hide them, you must use the Unhide All command from the Format menu.

Practice Activity

Complete the following tasks in a new worksheet. Record the steps you used.

  1. Create a table with 10 rows and 5 columns of sample data.
  2. Hide rows 3–5 and columns B–C.
  3. Save the file, then reopen it and unhide all hidden rows and columns.
  4. Use only keyboard shortcuts for the hide actions, and only menu commands for the unhide actions.
Suggested diagram: A screenshot showing the “Hide & Unhide” options in the Format menu.

Assessment Checklist

  • Can you hide a single row or column?
  • Can you hide multiple contiguous rows or columns at once?
  • Can you unhide rows and columns using both the context menu and the ribbon?
  • Do you know the keyboard shortcuts for each action?

Extension – Hiding Non‑Contiguous Rows/Columns

To hide rows or columns that are not next to each other:

  1. Hold Ctrl (Windows) or Cmd (Mac) and click each row or column heading you wish to hide.
  2. Right‑click any of the selected headings and choose Hide.
  3. To unhide, select the rows/columns surrounding each hidden block and repeat the Unhide command.

Key Takeaway

Hiding and displaying rows and columns is a fundamental skill for organising data, improving readability, and presenting professional‑looking spreadsheets. Mastery of both menu commands and keyboard shortcuts will speed up your workflow and reduce errors.