Excel: Quickly Rearrange Rows Or Columns

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Problem: I want to move row 5 to appear after row 7. I don't want to sort. I don't want to insert a new row, copy, paste, delete the old row. What is the fastest way?

Strategy: This topic will cover some little-known shortcut keys.

  • Shift+Spacebar selects the entire row.
  • Ctrl+Spacebar selects the entire column.
  • Shift+Drag Border will insert the selected range in a new spot.
  • Ctrl+Plus Sign will insert cells above or to the left
  • Ctrl+Minus sign will delete the selection.

Here is an example. Say that you want to move row 4 after row 7 and that you want to move Bobby after Peter.

  1. Select the whole row using Shift+Spacebar.
  2. Hold down the shift key. Drag the lower border of the selection and drop it below row 7.
  3. Select a cell in D. Select the whole column using Ctrl+Spacebar.
  4. Shift+Drag the right border of the selection after column F.

  1. You want to rearrange this data.

  2. Shift-drag the selection to move it.

    If you wanted to delete column B, select one cell in B, Ctrl+Spacebar to select the whole column, then Ctrl+Minus to delete.