How to unhide a row in excel
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To unhide a row in Excel, select the rows above and below the hidden row, right-click the selection, and choose "Unhide" from the context menu. This method works for single rows, multiple rows, and specific scenarios like unhiding row 1 or all rows in a worksheet.
Unhide a row using the right-click context menu
To unhide a single row in Excel using the right-click context menu, select the rows immediately above and below the hidden row, right-click the selection, and choose "Unhide."
- Click the row number above the hidden row, then hold Shift and click the row number below it to select the range spanning the hidden row. For a hidden row 3, select rows 2 and 4.
- Right-click anywhere on the selected row headers to open the context menu.
- Select "Unhide" from the menu to display the hidden row.
This method works reliably for a single row because Excel requires spanning the hidden area in the selection. Unprotect the sheet via the Review tab or clear filters via the Data tab first when the worksheet is protected or rows are filtered.
Unhide a row using the Home tab ribbon
To unhide rows using the Home tab ribbon in Excel, select the range of rows that includes the hidden ones, go to the Home tab, click Format in the Cells group, hover over Hide & Unhide under Visibility, and select Unhide Rows.
- Select row headers spanning the hidden rows. For example, select rows 2 through 4 to unhide row 3.
- Navigate to Home > Cells group > Format button.
- Point to Hide & Unhide > Unhide Rows to display the hidden rows.
This ribbon method requires a selection intersecting the hidden rows and works for single or multiple rows. Select the entire sheet first using Ctrl+A before using the same Format option to unhide all rows. Check for sheet protection under the Review tab when rows remain hidden.
Unhide a row using a keyboard shortcut
The keyboard shortcut to unhide rows in Excel is Ctrl + Shift + 9.
Required selection
Select the row headers above and below the hidden rows to create a range that intersects the hidden area. For a hidden row 3, select rows 2 and 4. Press Ctrl + Shift + 9 while the selection is active to reveal the hidden rows within it.
This shortcut displays any hidden rows intersecting the selection and works for single or multiple rows. Select the entire sheet with Ctrl + A first to unhide all rows. Note that Ctrl + Shift + 0 for columns may not function reliably in newer Excel versions.
Unhide row 1 in Excel
To unhide row 1 in Excel, select the entire column A by clicking the A header or select the entire sheet using Ctrl+A, go to the Home tab, click Format in the Cells group, and choose Hide & Unhide > Unhide Rows.
Alternative methods for row 1
- Keyboard shortcut: Select column A or the entire sheet using Ctrl+A, then press Ctrl + Shift + 9.
- Right-click: Select column A, right-click the header, and choose "Unhide" from the context menu.
Row 1 requires selecting adjacent areas like column A since no row above exists for spanning selection. Check for sheet protection under Review > Unprotect Sheet when unsuccessful. This approach works across Excel versions for the top row.
Unhide all hidden rows at once
To unhide all hidden rows in an Excel worksheet at once, select the entire sheet by clicking the triangle at the top-left corner or pressing Ctrl + A, then right-click any row header and choose "Unhide" from the context menu.
Other methods for all rows
- Ribbon: With the sheet selected, go to Home > Format > Hide & Unhide > Unhide Rows.
- Keyboard shortcut: Select the entire sheet using Ctrl + A, then press Ctrl + Shift + 9.
These approaches reveal every hidden row simultaneously without needing specific ranges. Clear filters via Data > Clear or unprotect the sheet via Review > Unprotect Sheet when rows stay hidden. Press Ctrl + A twice when data is not fully selected initially.
Troubleshooting rows that remain hidden
Rows may remain hidden after attempting to unhide them due to frozen panes, active filters, sheet protection, or zero row heights.
Steps to resolve hidden row issues
- Unfreeze panes: Go to View tab > Freeze Panes > Unfreeze Panes. The keyboard shortcut is Alt + W + F + F.
- Clear filters: Navigate to Data tab > Sort & Filter group > Clear.
- Unprotect sheet: Go to Review tab > Unprotect Sheet and enter the password when prompted.
- Adjust row height: Right-click the row header, select Row Height, and set it to a positive value like 15.
Retry unhiding by selecting the sheet using Ctrl + A and navigating to Home > Format > Hide & Unhide > Unhide Rows after addressing these issues. Run a VBA macro for persistent issues: press Alt + F11, go to Insert > Module, paste Rows.Hidden = False, and press F5 to execute. Save and reopen the file when needed.
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