Insert and Delete Rows and Columns Fast in Excel

The quickest insert row Excel shortcut is two key presses: Shift+Space to select the row, then Ctrl+Shift+= to insert a new row above it. Deleting is just as fast with Ctrl+-. This guide is for beginners and anyone preparing for a timed test: you'll learn the Windows and Mac shortcuts, how to add many rows at once, and how inserting and deleting affects your formulas.

Insert and delete shortcuts at a glance#

These are the shortcuts for working with whole rows and columns:

On a Mac, Control+Space often switches the keyboard language instead of selecting a column, so clicking the column letter is the safe way. On a keyboard with a number pad, Windows users can press Ctrl and the + on the number pad instead of Ctrl+Shift+=.

How to insert a row in Excel#

Select the row first, then insert. The new row always appears above the selected row.

1. Click any cell in the row where the new row should go, for example row 5.
2. Press Shift+Space to select the whole row.
3. Press Ctrl+Shift+= (Mac: Control+Shift+=).

Row 5 is now blank, and the old row 5 has moved down to row 6.

If you skip step 2 and press the shortcut with only a cell selected, Excel shows a small Insert box with four choices: Shift cells right, Shift cells down, Entire row and Entire column. Choose Entire row and press Enter. Selecting the row first avoids the box and is faster.

You can also use the mouse: right-click the row number and choose Insert, or go to Home > Insert > Insert Sheet Rows.

How to insert a column#

Columns work the same way, but the new column appears to the left of the selected one.

1. Click a cell in the column, for example column C.
2. Press Ctrl+Space to select the column (Mac: click the letter C).
3. Press Ctrl+Shift+= (Mac: Control+Shift+=).

The ribbon route is Home > Insert > Insert Sheet Columns, or right-click the column letter and choose Insert.

How to insert multiple rows or columns at once#

Excel inserts as many rows as you select. To add three blank rows above row 5:

1. Click a cell in row 5 and press Shift+Space.
2. Hold Shift and press ↓ twice to extend the selection to rows 5 to 7.
3. Press Ctrl+Shift+=.

Three new rows appear. The same trick works for columns with Shift+→. Our guide to selecting ranges fast with the keyboard covers more ways to grow a selection.

To add one row in several places, insert the first one, select the next row, and press F4 (Windows) or ⌘Y (Mac) to repeat the action.

How to delete rows and columns#

Select the rows or columns, then press Ctrl+- (Mac: ⌘-). The rows below move up, or the columns to the right move left.

This is different from the Delete key:

Be careful with Shift cells up inside a table. It moves only the cells in that column, so the rest of the row no longer lines up with its data. When in doubt, delete the entire row. The guide to editing, clearing and undoing explains clearing in more detail.

What happens to formulas when you insert or delete?#

Excel updates references automatically, but a few cases need attention.

Two lessons come out of this table. First, rows added just below the last row of a range may not be included in a SUM, so check your totals after adding data at the bottom. Turning the list into an Excel table with Ctrl+T solves this, because table ranges grow automatically. Second, if a sheet's columns are likely to change, a lookup that points at the return column directly, like XLOOKUP, is safer than a column number. The exercise on this page practises that.

Insert copied rows without overwriting data#

To move or copy a row into the middle of a list without pasting over what's there, insert the copied cells:

1. Select the row and copy it with Ctrl+C (Mac: ⌘C).
2. Select the row above which it should go.
3. Press Ctrl+Shift+= (Mac: Control+Shift+=), or right-click and choose Insert Copied Cells.

Excel makes room and pastes the row in one step. If you cut instead of copy, the menu says Insert Cut Cells and the row moves. If you only need the values, not the formulas, see Paste Special in Excel.

Tips for working fast#

A few habits make inserting and deleting faster and safer:

• Select the full row or column first. It skips the Insert box and avoids shifting single cells by mistake.
• Undo immediately with Ctrl+Z (Mac: ⌘Z) if the wrong rows disappear.
• Hide instead of deleting when you may need the data later. See how to hide and unhide rows and columns.
• Freeze your headers before working on a long list, so you can see which column you're in. Our guide to freeze panes in Excel shows how.
• Practise the keys until they're automatic. Inserting a helper column is a common first step in an Excel test, and the shortcuts interviewers notice include this one.

Practise it#

Inserting and deleting starts with selecting whole rows and columns. Practise Shift+Space, Ctrl+Space and growing a selection in Select ranges with Shift, then get comfortable clearing cells and undoing mistakes in Edit, clear and undo. The exercise on this page writes a lookup that keeps working when someone inserts a column.