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This wikiHow teaches you how to collapse multiple columns in your Microsoft Excel spreadsheet using the “Group” tool.

  1. You can do this on your Mac or PC by double-clicking the file.[1]
  2. To do this, click the letter above the first column, then drag the mouse to include the second column. Both columns should now be highlighted.[2]
    • If you don’t want to collapse two entire columns, just select the cells you want to collapse (rather than selecting the column letters).
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  3. It’s at the top of Excel.
  4. It’s near the top-right corner of the screen in the “Outline” group.[3]
  5. If you don’t see a “Group” pop-up, just skip to the next step.[4]
  6. It’s on the left side of the gray bar above your spreadsheet. The columns will collapse and “-“ will turn to a “+.”
  7. [5]
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About This Article

Nicole Levine, MFA
Written by:
wikiHow Technology Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA. Nicole Levine is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. She has more than 20 years of experience creating technical documentation and leading support teams at major web hosting and software companies. Nicole also holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Portland State University and teaches composition, fiction-writing, and zine-making at various institutions. This article has been viewed 282,023 times.
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Co-authors: 3
Updated: May 16, 2024
Views: 282,023
Categories: Microsoft Excel
Article SummaryX

1. Open your spreadsheet.
2. Select the columns.
3. Click the Data tab.
4. Click Group.
5. Select Columns and click OK.
6. Click to collapse.
7. Click + to uncollapse.

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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 282,023 times.

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