Home >Software Tutorial >Office Software >Need to Hide Cell Values in Excel? Use This Little-Known Tweak

Need to Hide Cell Values in Excel? Use This Little-Known Tweak

Patricia Arquette
Patricia ArquetteOriginal
2025-02-06 19:06:10463browse

Excel hidden data skills: cleverly hide cell data and keep the table structure unchanged

Did you know that data can be hidden in individual cells or ranges of cells in Excel without changing the content or structure of a spreadsheet? Surprisingly, Microsoft Excel doesn't have pre-made tools to hide data in visible cells, because this feature has many uses.

For example, this heat map shows where the team scored goals this season. Different shades make the thermal diagram clear and easy to understand without the need to display the corresponding numbers.

Need to Hide Cell Values in Excel? Use This Little-Known Tweak

Similarly, the total score in this table is calculated using numbers without numerical values ​​(except for comparison purposes). Since the data strips say it all, the numbers in the last column will only confuse the reader.

Need to Hide Cell Values in Excel? Use This Little-Known Tweak

In the last example, when I print the employee information sheet, I want to hide the salary without removing the number from the sheet.

Need to Hide Cell Values in Excel? Use This Little-Known Tweak

If you find yourself in the same situation, i.e. want to hide data without completely deleting it or changing the structure of a spreadsheet, follow these steps.

First, select the relevant cell, and then click the "Number Format" dialog box icon in the lower right corner of the "Number" group on the "Start" tab of the ribbon.

Need to Hide Cell Values in Excel? Use This Little-Known Tweak

Next, click Custom in the menu on the left and type;;; (three semicolons) in the Type field.

Need to Hide Cell Values in Excel? Use This Little-Known Tweak

After clicking OK, the numbers in the selected cell disappear, even if the data still exists. Here are three examples of mine, all showing data hidden from relevant parts of the spreadsheet.

Need to Hide Cell Values in Excel? Use This Little-Known Tweak

To undo this and display the numbers you are hiding, click the Number Format dialog icon in the lower right corner of the Numbers group again, but this time select General and click OK.

If you want to remind yourself of hidden data or formulas at any time, select the relevant cell and view the formula bar at the top of the workbook.


In other cases, it may be more inclined to completely hide views of individual or group columns in Excel and then unhide them when ready to display them again. For example, you can hide less important columns to help simplify the data, or temporarily delete the column between the other two columns you want to compare more carefully.

The above is the detailed content of Need to Hide Cell Values in Excel? Use This Little-Known Tweak. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

Statement:
The content of this article is voluntarily contributed by netizens, and the copyright belongs to the original author. This site does not assume corresponding legal responsibility. If you find any content suspected of plagiarism or infringement, please contact admin@php.cn