Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. 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: Unhiding a Single Column.

Unhiding a Single Column

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated February 8, 2022)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016


7

I regularly hide and unhide columns in my worksheets. If I have an entire range of columns hidden, I find it a bother to unhide a single column out of all those hidden. For instance, I may hide columns C:M and want to later unhide column F. There are a number of ways this can be done:

  • Unhide the entire range and then rehide C:E and G:M.
  • Enter cell F1 into the Name box and then use the controls available through the Format tool on the Home tab of the ribbon to unhide the column.
  • Enter cell F1 into the Name box and then press Ctrl+Shift+0 to unhide the column.

There are a few other ways to unhide the column, as well, but (as I said) I find such approaches a bother. Unhiding either a single column or a range of columns is very easy to do through a spiffy little macro. Consider the following:

Sub UnhideSingleColumn()
    Dim Col As String
    Dim rng As Range

StartHere:
    Col = InputBox("Enter column to unhide.", "Unhide Column")
    If Col = "" Then Exit Sub
    On Error Resume Next
    ' if not a valid range, an error occurs
    Set rng = ActiveSheet.Columns(Col)
    If Err.Number <> 0 Then
        On Error GoTo 0
        Err.Clear
        MsgBox "Invalid input! Please input a valid column."
        GoTo StartHere
    End If

    rng.EntireColumn.Hidden = False

    MsgBox "Column " & UCase(Col) & " is now visible.", _
      vbOKOnly, "Unhide Specified Column"
    Set rng = Nothing
    On Error GoTo 0
End Sub

The macro prompts the user for which column should be made visible, and then tries to select that column. If the column cannot be selected, then an error is generated and the user is again asked for input. If the column can be selected, then its .Hidden property is turned off, thereby making the column visible.

Note:

If you would like to know how to use the macros described on this page (or on any other page on the ExcelTips sites), I've prepared a special page that includes helpful information. Click here to open that special page in a new browser tab.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (11471) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Unhiding a Single Column.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

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What is 8 - 4?

2021-07-05 06:31:35

Willy Vanhaelen

If you prefer not to use the mouse to activate the Name box, you can simply press the F5 key (Go To) and enter F1 in the reference box (or whatever column you want to unhide ) and press Ctrl+Shift+0. That way you can keep your hands on the keyboard.


2021-07-04 04:01:16

Roy

Or you can use the Immediate Window to run the following:

ActiveSheet.Columns("F").EntireColumn.Hidden=False

Don't even have to select the column or a cell in it if you will type the F in. Or use the Name box like Allen to specify the column. Whichever you find fits your comfort with it.

Anything you can do with one line, right?

I have a spreadsheet with a ton of these, gonna add this one too. What I want to do in column A. The command in column B. Any notes about using it in column C. Add to it over the years, look through it now and then. Sometimes I think to insert a new column A to mark some as favorites, Sort them to the top, but I'm basically a lazy man so...


2020-07-14 05:24:58

Waqar Hasan

I used the second opion and it worked to unhide a single column from a series of hidden columns. Thanks. You are a life saver.


2017-04-07 13:56:41

Craig Abt

Recent subscriber.
I hide columns in large data tables all the time just so that i can see the ones i need. But invariably, i end up needing one of the ones I've hidden. This is a nice little navigational tip. Thanks


2017-04-03 10:48:04

Gary Lundblad

Thank you for the tip, but the CTRL+SHIFT+0 does not unhide for me either. I did enter the F1 in the name box, but nothing happens when I type that key combination.

Gary


2017-04-03 03:37:50

Dave

Excellent tip, thanks. This is definitely one for the QAT.
I found that you can also unhide a range of contiguous columns by entering, for example, R:T when prompted.

Ctrl+0 hides columns for me, but Shift+Ctrl+0 does not. Any clues?
Ctrl+9 and Shift+Ctrl+9 hides and unhides rows perfectly.


2017-04-02 10:55:09

Srinivasan

Fine
It is working super
Thanks
Srinivasan k


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