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There are many ways to improve productivity in Excel. One of them is to rearrange the columns. However, accessing this feature can be complicated, especially if you don’t know the interface well. But don’t worry: this article will demonstrate how to rearrange columns in Excel. This way, you’ll know how to work faster and have a clear view of all crucial information.
How to rearrange columns in Excel on a PC
Most people use Microsoft Excel on their PC because of the larger screen. This also helps you rearrange columns more easily. There are several methods to do this, and the first involves a fluid drag-and-drop motion:
- Open a worksheet.
- Place the cursor over the column to be rearranged. The cursor should now transform into an arrow.
- Highlight your column using the arrow.
- Hold down the Shift button.
- Navigate to the left or right edge and hold down with the arrow.
- Drag the border to the left or right. As the cursor moves through the columns, the edges should darken, indicating the new position.
- When the new location looks good, release the mouse click. The column will now be relocated to the location highlighted by the dark border.
Another way to rearrange columns is to use the Sort Data function. This method can be a little more complicated than the first if you only want to move two or three columns. But if you work on a larger spreadsheet with numerous columns, this technique can save you a lot of time.
Is that how it works:
- Navigate to a spreadsheet and insert a row at the top of the section by right-clicking the top row and selecting “Insert.” You should now see the new drive.
- Number the columns you want to rearrange in the order in which they will appear, starting with the first. Be sure to number each item you plan to use.
- Select the data you want to rearrange and go to the “Data” tab.
- Go to the “Sort & Filter” section and press “Sort.”
- Choose Options and press the button near the “Sort from left to right” message.
- Press “OK” and navigate to the “Sort by” menu.
- Select “Row 1,” followed by “OK.”
- Your columns should now be sorted. If you want to revert the change, right click on your first row. Choose “Delete” and it will return to the default layout.
Please note that the data sort method will not work if data validation is enabled on existing columns. If so, you will need to remove it by highlighting the affected cells and choosing “Data Validation.” Go to “Settings, followed by “Delete All” and press “OK”. Now you can implement the reordering technique as explained.
The final method for rearranging columns is simple. Requires you to cut a column and paste it in a new location. The process is very simple:
- Go to your spreadsheet and select a column.
- Press the “Ctrl X” combination on the keyboard to cut your column from the current location. You should now see “marching ants” near your column, indicating that it has been removed from its original position.
- Determine the new location of the column.
- Highlight the column destination and right-click on it.
- Choose the “Insert” command from the menu.
- The column should now appear in the proper location.
How to Rearrange Columns in Excel on an iPhone
While an iPhone gives you a smaller screen to work on, you should have no problem rearranging columns in Excel. In fact, it should only take you a few seconds:
- Open Excel.
- Tap the column to be rearranged.
- Press and hold the letters in the selected column until the column appears to rise from the table.
- Drag them to the left or right of another column to complete the process. If you drag your drive outside of an existing table, this will create a new table.
Another interesting way to rearrange the columns on your iPhone is to transpose them. In other words, you can swap columns and rows, where the content of a row becomes the content of a column. You can do it as many times as you want and the process is simple:
- Go to your spreadsheet.
- Tap your table and press the circle symbol at the top left of the screen.
- Press the “Table” button with a lightning bolt next to it in the lower right section of your screen.
- Activates the transpose function. Your columns and rows will be resized to the appropriate width and height for your table. Additionally, the header rows will become header columns and the footer rows will be the new rightmost columns.
How to rearrange columns in Excel on an iPad
Rearranging columns on an iPad is easy, too. It works practically the same as on iPhones:
- Start Excel and go to a spreadsheet.
- Tap a column.
- Press and hold the column to highlight it. Dotted lines should now appear, meaning your unit is ready to move.
- Drag the item and drop it to the preferred location.
How to rearrange columns in Excel on an Android device
Rearranging columns on your Android device shouldn’t be a problem either. The process is reduced to dragging and dropping the elements to the desired location:
- Launch Excel on your tablet or phone.
- Access your spreadsheet.
- Select a column you want to rearrange by tapping it.
- Press and hold the selected column and drag it wherever you want.
How to rearrange columns in Excel without overwriting
One thing you should avoid when rearranging columns is overwriting data. Fortunately, there is an easy way to do it:
- Select your columns by dragging them over their headers.
- Hover over the edge until you see a four-sided arrow.
- Hold down the “Shift” key and the left mouse button.
- Relocate the columns.
- Release the mouse button and “Shift.”
Speed up work in Excel
You should have no difficulty rearranging columns in Excel, whether you are an Android, PC, or iOS user. There are several ways to access the feature, and it shouldn’t take long to master them. Once this feature becomes routine, you will be able to complete your projects much faster.
