Rows and columns: insert, delete, hide and freeze
8 minutes · 5 steps · free, no sign-up
Your sheet will change shape as you work: a new item appears in the middle of a list, a column turns out to be unnecessary, a row should be out of sight. Sheets handles all of this, and formulas that point at the affected cells adjust by themselves.
- Insert a row and see a total adjust
- Delete a column you no longer need
- Hide and show rows
- Freeze the header row
Click a cell and start typing. Enter edits, Tab moves right, arrows move, Delete clears.
Quick referenceRow and column tools
Insert row adds a blank row above the selected one
Delete row removes it, and formulas adjust
Hide row out of sight, still in the sheet
Freeze row 1 keeps the header visible when you scrollThe key ideasSummary: Rows and columns: insert, delete, hide and freeze
Inserting a row inside a range makes the range grow, so =SUM(B2:B4) becomes =SUM(B2:B5) and the new row is counted automatically. That is why you insert in the middle of a list rather than typing underneath the total.
Deleting is more drastic: a formula that pointed at a deleted cell shows #REF!. Hiding is the gentle option. The data stays and formulas still use it. Freezing keeps the header row on screen while you scroll a long table.
Watch out forCommon mistakes
- Inserting a row below the last item. A row added just under the end of a SUM range is not counted. Insert inside the list, or above the last item.
- Deleting instead of hiding. If you might need the data again, hide it. Deleting a column that a formula uses leaves
#REF!errors behind. - Forgetting hidden rows are still counted. A total still includes hidden rows. Hiding changes only what you see.
- Not freezing the header. In a long table you lose track of what each column means as soon as you scroll. Freeze row 1.
Next stepTry it in the real Google Sheets
In Google Sheets right-click a row number or column letter for Insert, Delete and Hide. A small arrow marks where something is hidden; click it to bring it back. View → Freeze lets you freeze rows and columns.