Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024, and Excel in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Inserting Rows.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated July 12, 2025)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024, and Excel in Microsoft 365
If you want to insert rows in a worksheet, you probably know that you can do so by displaying the Home tab of the ribbon, clicking the down-arrow under or to the right of or under the Insert tool (in the Cells group), and then choosing Insert Sheet Rows. This works marvelously for inserting single rows.
If you want to insert multiple rows, you have several choices. First, you can insert a single row by using the tools on the ribbon, as already mentioned. Then you simply press F4 repeat the command and keep inserting rows.
The second method involves selecting rows before inserting. For instance, if you want to insert five rows, select five existing rows in the worksheet, display the Home tab of the ribbon, click the down-arrow under or to the right of the Insert tool (in the Cells group) and then choose Insert Sheet Rows. Excel dutifully inserts five rows in your worksheet, just before the first row you selected.
If you want to insert rows without using the mouse at all, select the entire row (or rows if you want to add multiple rows), and then you can use the shortcut Ctrl++ (that means hold down the Ctrl key as you press the plus sign) and then press enter. Quick, easy, and painless!
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (6117) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024, and Excel in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Inserting Rows.
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2025-07-13 04:08:24
Alex Blakenburg
If you are already is a cell in the row then: Shift+<SpaceBar> will select the row then Ctrl++ to insert.
Alternatively from a cell Ctrl++ will call up the insert dialogue box Alt+R for Entire Row then Enter
2025-07-12 19:28:15
Peter
When using the Ctrl++ method, I don't think it is necessary to press the Enter key. For me, Ctrl++ alone does the job. Likewise, Ctrl+- ( holding down the Ctrl key while pressing the minus sign) does the opposite: this deletes the selected rows.
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024, and Excel in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here:
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